Time-evolving bubbles in two-dimensional Stokes flow

Abstract

A general class of exact solutions is presented for a time-evolving bubble in a two-dimensional slow viscous flow in the presence of surface tension. These solutions can describe a bubble in a linear shear flow as well as an expanding or contracting bubble in an otherwise quiescent flow. In the case of expanding bubbles, the solutions have a simple behaviour in the sense that for essentially arbitrary initial shapes the bubble its asymptote is expanding circle. Contracting bubbles, on the other hand, can develop narrow structures (‘near-cusps’) on the interface and may undergo ‘breakup’ before all the bubble fluid is completely removed. The mathematical structure underlying the existence of these exact solutions is also investigated.