Thomas J. Asaki
Philip L. Marston
Phys. Dept., Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-2814
Levitation and excitation of shape oscillations for bubbles in water were demonstrated for the size range 1.6 to 12-mm diameter [T. J. Asaki, P. L. Marston, and E. H. Trinh, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 93, 706--713 (1993)]. Novel methods of experimentation and analysis in the current research should complement experiments carried out in microgravity. Current research concerns the understanding of equilibriuim shape effects on steady-state and freely decaying shape oscillations. These oscillations were studied with an optical extinction method. The measurements probe the surface rheology of the bubble. The experimental method has been shown to be applicable to saline solution as well as to degassed but otherwise untreated sea water. [Research supported by ONR and DOE GAANN fellowship.]