Observations of Crosshatched Wave Patterns in Liquid Films

Abstract

This experimental approach, aimed at understanding the formation of crosshatched patterns in liquid films, eliminates differential sublimation or vaporization as a possible mechanism of pattern formation by introducing a liquid with an extremely low vapor pressure onto the surfact of a model in a supersonic (cold) wind tunnel. The results indicate that 1) moving crosshatched patterns can be obtained without sublimation or vaporization; 2) the motion of the liquid film can be characterized in sufficient detail to permit comparison between experiment and theory; and 3) the observed waves are consistent with the findings of a linear stability analysis.