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Surface instability of icicles.

Naohisa Ogawa¹, Yoshinori Furukawa

¹Institute of Low Temperature Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan. ogawa@particle.sci.hokudai.ac.jp

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

|November 22, 2002

Summary

Stationary waves on icicles, unexplained by prior models, are caused by a novel surface instability. This instability arises from the interplay of thermal diffusion and thin water flow dynamics.

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Area of Science:

Physics
Fluid Dynamics
Surface Science

Background:

Stationary waves or ridges are commonly observed on icicles.
The formation mechanism of these waves has remained quantitatively unexplained.
Previous explanations, such as the Mullins-Sekerka instability, do not fully account for the observed wave characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the underlying physical mechanism responsible for the formation of stationary waves on icicles.
To differentiate the observed phenomenon from known instabilities like the Mullins-Sekerka instability.
To elucidate the role of thermal diffusion and thin film hydrodynamics in wave generation.

Main Methods:

Analysis of thin water flow dynamics on a solid surface.
Investigation of surface instabilities driven by thermal gradients.
Comparison of theoretical models with experimental observations of icicle wave patterns.

Main Results:

The study demonstrates that the observed stationary waves are not a result of the Mullins-Sekerka instability.
A distinct surface instability, driven by thermal diffusion and hydrodynamic effects in thin water layers, is identified as the cause.
The characteristic wavelength of approximately 1 cm is independent of external temperature, icicle thickness, and water flow rate.

Conclusions:

The formation of stationary waves on icicles is explained by a novel surface instability mechanism.
This mechanism involves the coupled effects of thermal diffusion and the hydrodynamics of thin water films.
The findings provide a quantitative explanation for a previously unexplained natural phenomenon.

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