Drop splashing on a dry smooth surface

The corona splash due to the impact of a liquid drop on a smooth dry substrate is investigated with high-speed photography. A striking phenomenon is observed: splashing can be completely suppressed by decreasing the pressure of the surrounding gas. The threshold pressure where a splash first occurs is measured as a function of the impact velocity and found to scale with the molecular weight of the gas and the viscosity of the liquid. Both experimental scaling relations support a model in which compressible effects in the gas are responsible for splashing in liquid solid impacts.     

Ultrafast interference imaging of air in splashing dynamics

A drop impacting a solid surface with sufficient velocity will emit many small droplets creating a splash. However, splashing is completely suppressed if the surrounding gas pressure is lowered. The mechanism by which the gas affects splashing remains unknown. We use high-speed interference imaging to measure the air beneath all regions of a spreading viscous drop as well as optical absorption to measure the drop thickness. Although an initial air bubble is created on impact, no significant air layer persists until the time a splash is created. This suggests that splashing in our experimentally accessible range of viscosities is initiated at the edge of the drop as it encroaches into the surrounding gas.     

Driven drops on heterogeneous substrates: onset of sliding motion

Pinning and depinning of driven drops on heterogeneous substrates is studied as a function of the driving and heterogeneity amplitude. Two types of heterogeneity are considered: a "hydrophobic" defect that blocks the drop in front and a "hydrophilic" one that holds it at the back. Two different types of depinning leading to sliding motion are identified, and the resulting stick-slip motion is studied numerically.     

Splash formation by a spherical body plunging into water

Splashes caused by a spherical body plunging into water were investigated experimentally using a high speed CMOS camera. We categorized types of splash according to impact velocities of the sphere. Three types of splash were found: Type-I is a thin spire-type splash, Type-II is a mushroom-type splash with many droplets, and Type-III is a crown-type splash with many droplets. The reaction to the concave water surface attached to the sinking sphere is a cause of the Type-I splash. The film flow climbing up the sphere is a dominant cause of the Type-II splash. The velocity of the film flow, which is proportional to the impact velocity of the sphere, affects the fingers of the film flow, detaching of droplets, and maximum height of the Type-II splash. The Type-III crown-type splash is characterized by water jets with many droplets. A bulky air column in water is formed behind the sinking sphere, and longitudinal ridges and ripples on the surface of the air column were observed.     

Impact of heterogeneous human activities on epidemic spreading

Recent empirical observations suggest a heterogeneous nature of human activities. The heavy-tailed inter-event time distribution at the population level is well accepted, while whether the individual acts in a heterogeneous way is still under debate. Motivated by the impact of temporal heterogeneity of human activities on epidemic spreading, this paper studies the susceptible-infected model on a fully mixed population, where each individual acts in a completely homogeneous way but different individuals have different mean activities. Extensive simulations show that the heterogeneity of activities at the population level remarkably affects the speed of spreading, even though each individual behaves regularly. Furthermore, the spreading speed of this model is more sensitive to the change of system heterogeneity compared with the model consisted of individuals acting with heavy-tailed inter-event time distributions. This work refines our understanding of the impact of heterogeneous human activities on epidemic spreading.     

Influence of imperfectly bonded micropolar elastic half-space with non-homogeneous viscoelastic layer on propagation behavior of shear wave

A mathematical model is developed in which the effect of imperfect bonding between the constituents of layer and half-space on the phase velocity and damped velocity of SH-wave is discussed. The model consists of a micropolar elastic half-space bonded imperfectly with a heterogeneous viscoelastic layer. The dispersion equation and damping equation of SH-wave propagation in the said model is obtained in the closed form analytically. The effects of imperfect bonding, internal friction, heterogeneity, micropolarity, and complex interface stiffness parameters highlighted through numerical computation and graphical demonstrations. Standard Love-wave equation and dispersion equation as well as damping equation for perfectly bonded micropolar half-space with heterogeneous viscoelastic layer is obtained as a special case of the problem. Through comparative study of homogeneity with heterogeneity in the layer; imperfect bonding of layer and half-space with their welded (perfect) contact; and presence of micropolarity in half-space with its absence in half-space are compared meticulously.     

重力对GaSb熔滴和液/固界面交互作用的影响

利用我国返回式实验卫星在空间微重力条件下进行了GaSb熔滴与GaP,BN和GaAs等材料的润湿性能的研究,分析了熔滴与基片之间的界面相互作用,并与重力场下实验结果进行了对比.实验表明,重力因素对润湿性存在影响,空间微重力条件下测得的GaSb熔滴与GaP及BN基片的接触角比地面测量的大.对凝固后的熔滴与基片之间的组织分析显示,重力场下,液固界面的相互作用较强,存在较宽的过渡区,这与地面浮力对流有利于物质输运密切相关.实验结果还表明,空间微重力环境下熔体凝固的组织比重力场下要均匀. 关键词： 微重力 润湿性 液/固界面     

Role of metal ions in growth and stability of Langmuir-Blodgett films on homogeneous and heterogeneous surfaces

Structure and stability of cadmium arachidate (CdA) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films on homogeneous (i.e., OH-, H-passivated Si(001) substrates) and heterogeneous (i.e., Br-passivated Si(001) substrates) surfaces were studied using X-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy techniques and compared with those of nickel arachidate (NiA) LB films. While on OH-passivated Si, an asymmetric monolayer (AML) structure starts to grow, on H-passivated Si, a symmetric monolayer (SML) of CdA forms, although for both the films, pinhole-type defects are present as usual. However, on heterogeneous Br-passivated Si substrates, a combination of AML, SML, shifted SML and SML on top of AML (i.e., AML/SML), all types of structures are found to grow in such a way that, due to the variation of heights in the out-of-plane direction, ring-shaped in-plane nanopatterns of CdA molecules are generated. Probably due to stronger head-head interactions and higher metal ion-carboxylic ligand bond strength for CdA molecules compared to NiA, easy flipping of SML on top of another preformed SML, i.e. a SML/SML structure formation was not possible and as a result a wave-like modulation is observed for the CdA film on such heterogeneous substrate. The presence of hydrophilic/hydrophobic interfacial stress on the heterogeneous substrate thus modifies the deposited molecular structure so that the top surface morphology for a CdA film is similar to monolayer buckling while that for NiA film is similar to monolayer collapse.     

Off-centre impact on a horizontal fibre

Fibre filters that consist of a network of randomly oriented thin fibres are commonly used to recover the liquid phase from an aerosol. During the filtration process, drops of the aerosol impact the solid fibres of the filter. If the impact velocity is smaller than a threshold velocity V_c, the drop is entirely captured by the fibre whereas if the velocity is larger than V_c, only a small portion of fluid remains trapped on the solid fibre. While this threshold velocity has been determined when the impact is centred – i.e. when the trajectory of the drop and the axis of the fibre do intersect – fewer studies are related to off-centre impact. Here, we focus on the influence of the relative position of the drop and the fibre on the impact. For velocity larger than V_c, we vary the eccentricity and measure the ability of the fibre to retain the liquid phase. Quite surprisingly, we show that off-centre impact situation enhances the ability of the fibre to capture a portion of the drop.     

A theoretical investigation of flow-induced instabilities in compliant coatings

The flow-induced instabilities of a fairly general class of compliant coatings are investigated theoretically. The coatings are of finite length and consist of elastic plates or membranes stretched over a fluid substrate having a density which may be different from the main flow. Provision is also made for the plate to be backed by an elastic foundation of arbitrary spring stiffness. Fairly standard aeroelastic methods are followed. The aerodynamic forces generated by the main flow are calculated by using thin aerofoil theory with a correction factor to allow for the presence of a boundary layer. The pressure induced in the substrate fluid is calculated by assuming potential flow and applying the method of images. A single-mode analysis shows that coatings with laminar boundary layers suffer a divergence-type instability in contrast to turbulent boundary layers which always give rise to a flutter-type instability with a higher critical velocity. The order of the most dangerous mode is calculated and found to rise with an increase in equivalent spring stiffness for fixed tension or flexural rigidity. Results are presented for plates and membrane coatings with an air stream over air and water substrates. Taking account of the substrate fluid dynamics reduces the growth rate of the instability by an order of magnitude and completely suppresses flutter with water substrates. Single-, double- and triple-mode analyses are carried out and the results compared. The critical velocity is adequately predicted by single-mode analysis but a coupling of odd and even modes can lead to flutter even with a laminar boundary layer.     

Influence des brandons sur la propagation d'un feu de forêt

A two-dimensional weighed-site small-world network is proposed to study the action of firebrands (lofted flaming or glowing debris) on fire spread through homogeneous or heterogeneous systems. The firebrand emission distance obeys an exponentially-decreasing distribution law. For homogeneous systems, the effect of firebrands is strengthened when the fire impact length decreases and the characteristic firebrand emission distance increases. As a result, jumps in the rate of spread appear and time oscillations in the burning area can occur. For heterogeneous systems, this effect becomes weaker as the degree of disorder and the distance of firebrand emission increase. The influence of characteristic lengths of radiation, firebrand emission, and medium heterogeneity on fire spread is discussed. To cite this article: B. Porterie et al., C. R. Physique 6 (2005).     

SPH simulation of fuel drop impact on heated surfaces

The interaction of liquid drops and heated surfaces is of great importance in many applications. This paper describes a numerical method, based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), for simulating n-heptane drop impact on a heated surface. The SPH method uses numerical Lagrangian particles, which obey the laws of fluid dynamics, to describe the fluid flows. By incorporating the Peng–Robinson equation of state, the present SPH method can directly simulate both the liquid and vapor phases and the phase change process between them. The numerical method was validated by two experiments on drop impact on heated surfaces at low impact velocities. The numerical method was then used to predict drop-wall interactions at various temperatures and velocities. The model was able to predict the different outcomes, such as rebound, spread, splash, breakup, and the Leidenfrost phenomenon, consistent with the physical understanding.     

液滴低速撞击润湿球面现象观测分析

采用高速摄像仪以10000 帧/s的拍摄速度对液滴低速撞击润湿球体表面过程进行了实验观测, 分析了液滴撞击后的反弹、局部反弹和铺展等现象, 考察了黏度对撞击过程的影响; 在此基础上, 定量讨论了液滴铺展特征参数随撞击速度、球体直径和黏度的变化规律. 观测发现: 黏度较大且撞击速度较低时, 撞击后可能出现反弹和局部反弹, 黏度较小时则不发生; 铺展面积随撞击速度的增大而增大; 黏度增大时, 铺展因子减小; 在球体直径为4–20 mm范围内, 随着球体直径的增加, 铺展因子呈上升趋势. 关键词： 液滴撞击 润湿球面 铺展 黏度     

Dew nucleation and growth

Dew is the condensation of water vapor into liquid droplets on a substrate. It is characterized by an initial heterogeneous nucleation on a substrate and a further growth of droplets. The presence of a substrate that geometrically constrains the growth is the origin of the peculiarities and richness of the phenomenon. A key point is the drop interaction through drop fusion or coalescence, which leads to scaling in the growth and gives universality to the process. As a matter of fact, growth dynamics are only dependent on substrate and drop dimensionality. Coalescence events lead to temporal and spatio-temporal fluctuations in the substrate coverage, drop configuration, etc., which give rise to a very peculiar dynamics. When the substrate is a liquid or a liquid crystal, the drop pattern can exhibit special spatial order, such as crystalline, hexatic phases and fractal contours. Condensation on a solid substrate near its melting point can make the drop jump.The applications of monitoring dew formation are manifold. Examples can be found in medicine (sterilization process), agriculture (green houses) and hydrology (production of drinkable water). To cite this article: D. Beysens, C. R. Physique 7 (2006).     

Singular jets and bubbles in drop impact

We show that when water droplets gently impact on a hydrophobic surface, the droplet shoots out a violent jet, the velocity of which can be up to 40 times the drop impact speed. As a function of the impact velocity, two different hydrodynamic singularities are found that correspond to the collapse of the air cavity formed by the deformation of the drop at impact. It is the collapse that subsequently leads to the jet formation. We show that the divergence of the jet velocity can be understood using simple scaling arguments. In addition, we find that very large air bubbles can remain trapped in the drops. The surprising occurrence of the bubbles for low-speed impact is connected with the nature of the singularities, and can have important consequences for drop deposition, e.g., in ink-jet printing.     

Influence of support properties on the sound radiated from the vibrations of rectangular plates

The control of the forced vibration response of structures through the optimal tuning of its supports is desirable in many applications. Tuning may enhance the dissipation of vibration energy within the supports, thereby reducing fatigue and structure-borne noise. Two different models were developed to calculate the optimal support stiffness that minimizes the velocity response of homogeneous plates. The first model, based on the wave propagation at the edge, yields a good first cut approximation of the optimal properties. The optimal viscous and viscoelastic support stiffness for minimal reflection at the edge was calculated. Maximum absorption of the incident waves occurs when the viscous support stiffness matches the characteristic mechanical impedances of the plate. The second model, based on the Rayleigh-Ritz method, yields more accurate estimates of the optimal support stiffness required to minimize the forced velocity response of the finite rectangular plate. The optimal support properties calculated from the two different methods were in good agreement. This suggested that the modal response of the plate is strongly influenced by the wave reflections at the edges. Finally, the effects of support properties on the sound radiated from the plate were investigated. The optimal support stiffness that minimizes the radiated sound power was found to be smaller than the value that minimizes the velocity response. The results show that both the velocity response and sound radiation are strongly influenced by dissipation of vibration energy at the edges, and demonstrate that support tuning can yield significant noise and vibration reduction.     

Heterogeneous traffic flow modeling with drivers' timid and aggressive characteristics

The driver's characteristics(e.g., timid and aggressive) has been proven to greatly affect the traffic flow performance,whereas the underlying assumption in most of the existing studies is that all drivers are homogeneous. In the real traffic environment, the drivers are distinct due to a variety of factors such as personality characteristics. To better reflect the reality,we introduce the penetration rate to describe the degree of drivers' heterogeneity(i.e., timid and aggressive), and proceed to propose a generalized heterogeneous car-following model with different driver's characteristics. Through the linear stability analysis, the stability conditions of the proposed heterogeneous traffic flow model are obtained based on the perturbation method. The impacts of the penetration rate of drivers with low intensity, the average value and standard deviation of intensity parameters characterizing two types of drivers on the stability of traffic flow are analyzed by simulation. Results show that higher penetration of aggressive drivers contributes to traffic flow stability. The average value has a great impact on the stability of traffic flow, whereas the impact of the standard deviation is trivial.     

Heterogeneity in oscillator networks: are smaller worlds easier to synchronize?

Small-world and scale-free networks are known to be more easily synchronized than regular lattices, which is usually attributed to the smaller network distance between oscillators. Surprisingly, we find that networks with a homogeneous distribution of connectivity are more synchronizable than heterogeneous ones, even though the average network distance is larger. We present numerical computations and analytical estimates on synchronizability of the network in terms of its heterogeneity parameters. Our results suggest that some degree of homogeneity is expected in naturally evolved structures, such as neural networks, where synchronizability is desirable.     

Crack front dynamics across a single heterogeneity

We study the spatiotemporal dynamics of a crack front propagating at the interface between a rigid substrate and an elastomer. We first characterize the kinematics of the front when the substrate is homogeneous and find that the equation of motion is intrinsically nonlinear. We then pattern the substrate with a single defect. Steady profiles of the front are well described by a standard linear theory with nonlocal elasticity, except for large slopes of the front. In contrast, this theory seems to fail in dynamical situations, i.e., when the front relaxes to its steady shape, or when the front pinches off after detachment from a defect. More generally, these results may impact the current understanding of crack fronts in heterogeneous media.     

Dynamic feature analysis in bidirectional pedestrian flows

Analysis of dynamic features of pedestrian flows is one of the most exciting topics in pedestrian dynamics. This paper focuses on the effect of homogeneity and heterogeneity in three parameters of the social force model, namely desired velocity, reaction time, and body size, on the moving dynamics of bidirectional pedestrian flows in the corridors. The speed and its deviation in free flows are investigated. Simulation results show that the homogeneous higher desired speed which is less than a critical threshold, shorter reaction time or smaller body size results in higher speed of flows. The free dynamics is more sensitive to the heterogeneity in desired speed than that in reaction time or in body size. In particular, an inner lane formation is observed in normal lanes. Furthermore, the breakdown probability and the start time of breakdown are focused on. This study reveals that the sizes of homogeneous desired speed, reaction time or body size play more important roles in affecting the breakdown than the heterogeneities in these three parameters do.