Onset instability to nonpropagating hydrodynamic solitons

The critical instability of the hydrodynamic solitons from a free and Stati onary surface has been systemically measured for various depths, breadths, and the ratio of the mixture solution of glycerin and water. The experiment shows that increasing;the depth and breadth, and decreasing the ratio of t he mixture mainly lead to the decreasing of the onset exciting acceleration . The experimental results have been qualitatively explained by linear stab ility theory in which the horizontal wave number has to be quantized due to the finite boundary of the small-aspect-ratio container. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.