KINETIC-EQUATION OF THE DECOMPOSITION OF A SOLUTION SUPERSATURATED BYA GAS

A two-dimensional kinetic equation is found to describe the evolution of the distribution of near-critical gas bubbles in a solution supersa turated by a gas. The conditions under which the equation is valid are also determined, as are the thermodynamically stable and unstable sta te variables of a near-critical bubble. These respective variables hav e the important property of changing relatively rapidly and relatively slowly over time. It is shown that near-critical bubbles are almost a lways in mechanical equilibrium with the solution.