Sink flow deforms the interface between a viscous liquid and air into a tip singularity

Abstract

In our experiment, an interface between a viscous liquid and air is deformed by a sink flow of constant flow rate to form a sharp tip. Using a microscope, the interface shape is recorded down to a tip size of 1 $\mu \mathrm{m}$. The curvature at the tip is controlled by the distance $h$ between the tip and the sink. As a critical distance $h^{\star }$ is approached, the curvature diverges like $1/(h-h^{\star }{)}^3$ and the tip becomes cone-shaped. As the distance to the sink is decreased further, the opening angle of the cone vanishes like $h^2$. No evidence for air entrainment was found, except when the tip was inside the orifice.

accepted for publication at PRL