Silent Satellites: Critical Fluctuations in Chromiun

Neutron scattering measurements of critical fluctuations associated with the spin-density-wave transition at the Néel temperature $T_N=311\mathrm{}$ K, in a single- $\mathbf{Q}$ chromium crystal are reported. Surprisingly, critical fluctuations are observed emanating from satellite positions, corresponding to absent magnetic domains, at which no elastic scattering occurs. The inelastic scattering from these “silent satellites” grows rapidly with increasing temperature, becoming equal to the allowed single- $\mathbf{Q}$ satellite scattering at $T_N$.