We review equilibrium thermodynamic properties of systems of magnetic particles like ferrofluids in which dipolar interactions play an important role. The review is focussed on two subjects: (i) the magnetization with the initial magnetic susceptibility as a special case and (ii) the phase transition behavior. Here the condensation ("gas/liquid") transition in the subsystem of the suspended particles is treated as well as the isotropic/ferromagnetic transition to a state with spontaneously generated long-range magnetic order.

The problem of pattern selection in absolutely unstable open flow systems is investigated by considering the example of Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard convection. The spatiotemporal structure of convection rolls propagating downstream in an externally imposed flow is determined for six different inlet/outlet boundary conditions. Results are obtained by numerical simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations and by comparison with the corresponding Ginzburg-Landau amplitude equation. A unique selection process is observed being a function of the control parameters and the boundary conditions but independent of the history and the system length. The problem can be formulated in terms of a nonlinear eigen/boundary value problem where the frequency of the propagating pattern is the eigenvalue. PACS: 47.54.+r, 47.20.Bp, 47.27.Te, 47.20.KyComment: 8 pages, 5 Postscript figures, Physica D 97, 253-263 (1996

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