Dynamics of separation of a single drop in air

The processes of formation of alcohol and water drops, as well as formation of small fragments—satellites, are traced using the high-speed filming. The trajectory of a water drop satellite is nonmonotonic, at first the satellite moves upward against the gravity force, reaches the oscillating residual fluid at the nozzle exit, and then starts to move down. From the satellite, a microdroplet is ejected, which bounces off the residual fluid at the nozzle, returns back to the satellite and merges. In the case of an alcohol drop, no accompanying microdroplet is formed, and the satellite follows a nearballistic trajectory.