Wavelength Analysis of Interface between Two Miscible Solutions Observed in Formation of Fractal Pattern

Abstract

When a droplet of a higher-density solution (HDS) is placed on top of a lower-density solution (LDS), the HDS draws a fractal pattern on the surface of the LDS. Before the fractal pattern is formed, a stick-like pattern with a periodic structure emerges in a region surrounding the surface pattern due to interfacial instability. We experimentally measure the wavelength of this stick-like pattern. The wavelength increases with the volume of the HDS and is independent of the viscosities of the two solutions. To understand the stick generation, we propose a model of miscible viscous fingering whose boundary conditions are similar to those of the experiments. The wavelength obtained from the model agrees with the experimentally obtained wavelength. The formation of the fractal pattern is discussed by comparing it with the viscous fingering.