Breakup of air bubbles in water: Memory and breakdown of cylindrical symmetry

Using high-speed video, we have studied air bubbles detaching from an underwater nozzle. As a bubble distorts, it forms a thin neck which develops a singular shape as it pinches off. As in other singularities, the minimum neck radius scales with the time until the breakup. However, because the air-water interfacial tension does not drive the breakup, even small initial cylindrical asymmetries are preserved throughout the collapse. This novel, nonuniversal singularity retains a memory of the nozzle shape, size, and tilt angle. In the last stages, the air appears to tear instead of pinch.

© American Physical Society (APS) [Breakup of Air Bubbles in Water: Memory and Breakdown of Cylindrical Symmetry. Physical Review Letters 97, 14 (2006)]

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Work Title Breakup of air bubbles in water: Memory and breakdown of cylindrical symmetry
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Nathan C. Keim
  2. Peder Møller
  3. Wendy W. Zhang
  4. Sidney R. Nagel
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Physical Review Letters
Publication Date October 3, 2006
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.144503
Deposited January 25, 2024

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  • Added 0605669-1.pdf
  • Added Creator Nathan C. Keim
  • Added Creator Peder Møller
  • Added Creator Wendy W. Zhang
  • Added Creator Sidney R. Nagel
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