EVENT DETAILS AND ABSTRACT

Title: Coalescence of Two Spheres
Speaker: Dr. J. Eggers
Speaker Info: U. Essen
Brief Description:
Special Note:
Abstract:

If two spheres touch, surface tension drives them to join into a single sphere, which has less surface area. We study the early time dynamics when the minimum radius r of the bridge joyning the spheres is still very small compared to the initial drop radii. In the first part of the talk we assume that the spheres are fluid drops governed by the Navier-Stokes equation. Dimensional analysis suggests a linear dependence of r on time. However, self-similarity is broken by a logarithmic term coming from long-ranged interactions. In the second part we consider two metal spheres, for which material transport is dominated by surface diffusion. Here the dynamics leads to changes in topology, again breaking self-similarity, and forming intricate fractal structures.