Open AccessFilm drainage and the lifetime of bubbles
Author(s) -
Nguyen C. T.,
Gonnermann H. M.,
Chen Y.,
Huber C.,
Maiorano A. A.,
Gouldstone A.,
Dufek J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.928
H-Index - 136
ISSN - 1525-2027
DOI - 10.1002/ggge.20198
Subject(s) - buoyancy , thinning , capillary action , reynolds number , coalescence (physics) , geology , gravitation , bubble , capillary number , drainage , mechanics , materials science , mineralogy , composite material , physics , classical mechanics , ecology , astrobiology , turbulence , biology
We present the results of new laboratory experiments that provide constraints on inter bubble film thinning and bubble coalescence as a consequence of liquid expulsion by gravitational and capillary forces. To ensure dynamic similarity to magmatic systems, the experiments are at small Reynolds numbers ( R e ≪ 1 ) and cover a wide range of Bond numbers (10 −3 ≤ Bo ≤ 10 2 ). Results indicate that at Bo < 0.25 film drainage is due to capillary forces, whereas at Bo > 0.25 gravitational forces result in film thinning. The film drainage time scale is given by t ∼ C ln ( α ) τ and is orders of magnitude faster than often assumed for magmatic systems. Here, C ∼ 10 is an empirical constant and α is the ratio of initial film thickness to film thickness at the time of rupture and τ is the characteristic capillary or buoyancy time scale at values of Bo < 0.25 and Bo > 0.25, respectively.