Analytic theory of the selection mechanism in the Saffman-Taylor problem

Journal Article · Mon May 12 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.56.2032· OSTI ID:5611275

Hong, D C; Langer, J S

We present an analytic approach to the problem of predicting the widths of fingers in a Hele-Shaw cell. Our analysis is based on the WKB technique developed recently for dealing with the effects of surface tension in the problem of dendritic solidification. We find that the relation between the dimensionless width lambda and the dimensionless group of parameters containing the surface tension, ..nu.., has the form lambda-(1/2)approx...nu../sup 2/3/ in the limit of small ..nu...

• Research Organization: Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-84ER45108
• OSTI ID: 5611275
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 56:19
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DENDRITES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
FLUIDS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
CONVECTION
ENERGY LOSSES
INSTABILITY
SHAPE
SURFACE TENSION
WKB APPROXIMATION
CRYSTALS
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
LOSSES
MASS TRANSFER
SURFACE PROPERTIES
640410* - Fluid Physics- General Fluid Dynamics
656000 - Condensed Matter Physics