Free oscillations of a viscous liquid drop surrounded by a dynamically inac
tive ambient gas, in zero gravity, are investigated numerically using FIDAP
(TM) package in the axisymmetrical case. The full Navier-Stokes equations
with appropriate interfacial conditions are solved by using Galerkin/Finite
element technique along with the spine method for the advection of the fre
e boundary are used. The aim of this preliminary study is to demonstrate th
e ability of the package to accurately solve nonlinear free surface problem
s. Oscillations of viscous drops released from an initial static deformatio
n of small to large-amplitude proportional to the second spherical harmonic
, without initial internal circulation, are considered. Accuracy is atteste
d by demonstrating that (i) the drop volume remains constant, (ii) dynamic
response to small and moderate amplitudes agrees well with linear and weakl
y non-linear perturbation theories, (iii) large amplitude oscillations comp
are well with some numerical and experimental published results.