Free oscillations of drops and bubbles: the initial-value problem

Abstract

We study the initial-value problem posed by the small-amplitude (linearized) free oscillations of free drops, gas bubbles, and drops in a host liquid when viscous effects cannot be neglected. It is found that the motion consists of modulated damped oscillations, with the damping parameter and frequency approaching only asymptotically the results of the normal-mode analysis. The connexion with the normal-mode method is demonstrated explicitly and the experimental relevance of our results is discussed.