The condition of instability of a charged liquid droplet, Q(2) > 16 pi a(3)
T, is frequently used for development of mechanism of emission of ions from
liquids (a and Q are the radius and the charge of the droplet, and T is th
e coefficient of surface tension of the liquid). This condition arises when
determining solution of the problem about vibrations of a spherical charge
d droplet of an ideal and incompressible liquid. It is shown that the const
ancy with time of the volume of the vibrating droplet following from incomp
ressibility of the droplet was not taken into account. This suggests the in
correctness of the conventional solution and the condition of the instabili
ty. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.