Persistence of Memory in Drop Breakup: The Breakdown of Universality

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-14-2003

Abstract

A low-viscosity drop breaking apart inside a viscous fluid is encountered when air bubbles, entrained in thick syrup or honey, rise and break apart. Experiments, simulations, and theory show that the breakup under conditions in which the interior viscosity can be neglected produces an exceptional form of singularity. In contrast to previous studies of drop breakup, universality is violated so that the final shape at breakup retains an imprint of the initial and boundary conditions. A finite interior viscosity, no matter how small, cuts off this form of singularity and produces an unexpectedly long and slender thread. If exterior viscosity is large enough, however, the cutoff does not occur because the minimum drop radius reaches subatomic dimensions first.

Identifier

0242666142 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Science

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1089272

ISSN

00368075

First Page

1185

Last Page

1188

Issue

5648

Volume

302

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