450 – Studies on Splashes, a Century after A.M. Worthington
Date:
27 October 2004 – 29 October 2004
Location:
Carry le Rouet, France
Contacts:
Chairpersons:
Professor Christophe Clanet
IRPHE, Technopole de Château Gombert,
49 rue Frédéric Joliot-Curie,
13 384 Marseille, France
e-mail: clanet@irphe.univ-mrs.fr
Prof. David Quéré
Physique de la Matiere Condensée, College de France
11 place Marcelin Berthelot,
75 231 Paris, France
Prof. Jean-Marc Chomaz
LADHYX, Ecole Polytechnique,
Laboratoire d'hydrodynamique,
91 128 Palaiseau, France
EUROMECH contact person: Prof. Patrick Huerre
Website
A splash is the impact of a liquid drop on either a solid or liquid surface. They occur in very different domains over a wide range of scales, from meteorite impacts to micro-drop jet printers. These phenomena are characterised by a short time-scale which makes their experimental study difficult.
Despite the extensive literature on the subject, important questions remain open, such as the role of the surrounding fluid during the impact or the importance of the details of contact between a liquid and a solid. Drop rebounds have been observed, but the physics of the transition from the classic no-rebound situation is not understood. The importance of surface tension in small drop impact also opens the question of surfactant diffusion and its role. Extension to more complex fluids such as emulsions, or to more complex solids with rough surfaces or fibres may also be considered for their importance in applications. Finally, even if the impact of a sphere is of prime interest, study of the influence of the geometry of observed features – such as the impact of a jet, liquid curtains or colliding drops – would also have its own fascination.
This colloquium, on a scientifically open field, will give an opportunity for several European groups to exchange and interact. It offers an occasion to summarise the major improvements in the understanding of splashes which have been made in the century since the landmark study of A.M. Worthington.
Despite the extensive literature on the subject, important questions remain open, such as the role of the surrounding fluid during the impact or the importance of the details of contact between a liquid and a solid. Drop rebounds have been observed, but the physics of the transition from the classic no-rebound situation is not understood. The importance of surface tension in small drop impact also opens the question of surfactant diffusion and its role. Extension to more complex fluids such as emulsions, or to more complex solids with rough surfaces or fibres may also be considered for their importance in applications. Finally, even if the impact of a sphere is of prime interest, study of the influence of the geometry of observed features – such as the impact of a jet, liquid curtains or colliding drops – would also have its own fascination.
This colloquium, on a scientifically open field, will give an opportunity for several European groups to exchange and interact. It offers an occasion to summarise the major improvements in the understanding of splashes which have been made in the century since the landmark study of A.M. Worthington.