  Standing wave patterns that arise on the surface of ferrofluids by (single
frequency) parametric forcing with an ac magnetic field are investigated
experimentally. Depending on the frequency and amplitude of the forcing, the
system exhibits various patterns including a superlattice and subharmonic
rhombuses as well as conventional harmonic hexagons and subharmonic squares.
The superlattice arises in a bicritical situation where harmonic and
subharmonic modes collide. The rhombic pattern arises due to the non-monotonic
dispersion relation of a ferrofluid.
