Taylor instability of finite surface waves

Key Points

• Investigate the instability and growth dynamics of accelerated liquid-air interfaces subjected to finite sinusoidal surface disturbances across a wide wave-number range.
• Accelerated interfaces between air and test liquids (methanol or carbon tetrachloride) across wave-numbers extending below and above the theoretical cut-off.
• Measured early disturbance growth rates and later-stage interface deformation patterns to evaluate linear and third-order theoretical models.
• Measured growth rates matched third-order perturbation theory, experimentally verifying the occurrence of overstability.
• Late-stage interface development exhibited bubble competition, Helmholtz instability driving a transition to turbulence, and liquid jet instability resulting in drop formation.