Rainbow phenomena applied to the measurement of droplet size and velocity and to the detection of nonsphericity

An experimental method is presented that detects whether a droplet is spherical. The method is based on a comparison between two droplet diameters deduced from two different optical interference patterns observed in a rainbow that is created by a droplet scattering laser light. Experimental validation has been carried out with a CCD camera. Once a rainbow pattern has been identified as coming from a spherical droplet, we can derive a reliable droplet velocity and diameter from the same interference patterns, using theories for the rainbow that are valid only for spherical droplets. Preliminary experiments have been carried out with a laser beam and a photomultiplier.