Role of electromagnetic coupling in the low-field phase diagram of ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2.15}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{1.85}$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_2$${\mathrm{O}}_{8+\mathrm{\delta }}$

A detailed study has been made of a transition in the flux lattice of the superconductor ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2.15}$ ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{1.85}$ ${\mathrm{CaCu}}_2$ ${\mathrm{O}}_{8+\mathrm{\delta }}$ using the technique of muon-spin rotation. The results are in excellent agreement with a recent theoretical analysis on the low-field phase diagram of highly anisotropic superconductors. In particular, the important role of electromagnetic interactions between vortex segments is demonstrated. The form of the phase boundary suggests that the transition may be identified with a simultaneous melting and decoupling of the vortices in adjacent layers.