Numerical simulations of inviscid capillary pinchoff

Inviscid capillary pinchoff is studied numerically, for an axisymmetric model problem in which a bubble pinches at two points on the symmetry plane, breaking into two symmetric end-bubbles and a satellite bubble in between. Results are presented for a range of density jumps across the bubble. The numerical method uses a formulation in terms of arclength and tangent angle, and incorporates a new procedure to redistribute the computational points dynamically, in order to maintain resolution in regions of high curvature. The results are compared with alternative computations by Lepinnen and Lister [Phys. Fluids 15 (2003) 568], where available. New results include details about the cone–crater structure near pinchoff, and the dependence of satellite bubble volume and pinchoff time on the density ratio.