Studying long-range correlations in a liquid–vapor-phase transition

In this paper we study long-range correlations due to temperature-driven liquid–vapor-phase transition in distilled water. Using a very simple experimental setup, we recorded the sound waves produced by boiling water, increasing the water temperature from liquid up to vapor. The long-range correlation exponent α has been calculated via Detrended Fluctuation Analysis in this time series. In the liquid phase the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis results give an exponent α 0.6 for the underlined time series. The scaling exponent increases when the temperature becomes close to transition temperature TB. At the transition temperature an exponent α becomes closer to 1.1, which indicates a more persistent behavior. These results are compared to similar behavior observed in X-ray stellar binary systems. In this context, we propose a simple link between liquid–vapor-phase transition and accretion mass rate