Dr James Buick  -  Physics Research

The following animation (courtesy of Ted Schlicke) shows the dispersion of a thin surface film due to wave breaking. The images were obtained using laser induced fluorescences. A fluorescences dye was added to the water surface to form a thin film and the system was illuminated with a two-dimensional laser sheet perpendiculars to the water surface. After wave breaking the dispersion of the surface film in the vertical direction and in the direction of wave motion can be observed. The images have been false coloured cording to the concentration of the fluorescent dye.