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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Induction of Microstreaming by Nonspherical Bubble Oscillations in an Acoustic Levitation System
Published on: May 9, 2021
Asymmetric disconnection of an underwater air bubble: persistent neck vibrations evolve into a smooth contact
Konstantin S Turitsyn1, Lipeng Lai, Wendy W Zhang
1Physics Department and the James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Abstract:
The disconnection of an underwater bubble illustrates how slight initial asymmetries can prevent the formation of a finite-time singularity. Creating a singularity by focusing a finite amount of energy dynamically into a vanishingly small amount of material requires that the initial condition be perfectly symmetric. In reality, imperfections are always present. We show a slight azimuthal asymmetry in the initial shape of the bubble neck excites vibrations that persist over time. As a result, the focusing singularity is generically preempted by a smooth contact.
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