Nonaxisymmetric evanescent waves in a viscous liquid jet

Abstract

The linear stability of a viscous liquid jet emanating into a gas with respect to spatially growing nonaxisymmetric disturbances is analyzed. The numerical solution of the characteristic equation and some analytical arguments are used to show that the nonaxisymmetric disturbances in the liquid jet are evanescent waves. Hence, a support is given to the commonly adopted assumption that nonaxisymmetric disturbances are more stable than the axisymmetric ones in a viscous liquid jet emanating into an ambient gas.