Shear viscosity and shear thinning in two-dimensional Yukawa liquids

A two-dimensional Yukawa liquid is studied using two different nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation methods. Shear viscosity values in the limit of small shear rates are reported for a wide range of Coulomb coupling parameter and screening length. At high shear rates it is demonstrated that this liquid exhibits shear thinning, i.e., the viscosity $\eta$ diminishes with increasing shear rate. It is expected that two-dimensional dusty plasmas will exhibit this effect.