Collective dynamics of liquid Hg investigated by inelastic X-ray scattering

Short wavelength collective excitations in liquid Hg at room temperature have been investigated by high-resolution inelastic X-ray scattering. Clear evidence for the existence of propagating modes was found from the S(Q, omega) at constant Q up to about 17 nm(-1). A positive dispersion in the Q-omega relation for these excitations was identified. This behavior is described in a simplified viscoelastic view. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.