Abstract
We report on the experimental observation of a critical phenomenon (phase-transition-like) in super-heated vapours inside an alumina effusive oven in the temperature range of 1900 - 2000 K. This phenomenon is studied by modulated molecular beam mass spectrometry and the main observations are dramatic discontinuous decay of the flux by a factor of within and a simultaneous dramatic rise of a signal. Nearly complete thermal reversibility is demonstrated. Under flow conditions with 2 - 10 Torr helium, and are also observed. Both exhibit the same critical behaviour as . Tentative interpretations are in terms of heterogeneous gas - surface critical kinetic phenomena or vapour condensation leading to formation of liquid-like films followed by complete disintegration and oxidation.
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