CRITICALLY IN DROPLET FRAGMENTATION

Experiments in rupture of mercury drops have been performed recording the size distribution of the cumulative number of drops for different conditions of rupture. A transition of the distribution from log-norma l to scaling behavior is shown. To describe it, a geometric probabilis tic model is proposed. Consequently, the rupture can be described as a process of percolation in a Bethe lattice. Then, the rupture process and the transition to scaling can be viewed as a problem of phase tran sition. Comparison with several fracture experimental data is also mad e showing the possibilities of this viewpoint.