Macroscopic drop impacts with inclined flexible fibres

ORAL

Abstract

The impact of drops on flexible surfaces and structures of comparable size to the drops is an active and open field of inquiry. This situation arises in horticulture because of the spray application of pollen in solution or other substances. For example, kiwifruit vines are relatively undesirable to bees, making natural pollination unreliable. Unfortunately, current methods for artificial pollination are incredibly inefficient -- sometimes wasting the majority of harvested pollen, an expensive substance to collect, process, and store. A study was therefore done on the interaction of droplets with relevant structures on the kiwifruit blossom. The impact of drops upon stigma at different speeds and angles was recorded with a high-speed camera. Several observed categories of impact phenomena are described here, along with comparisons to predictions from theoretical models of simpler situations with similar geometry and length scales. Some phenomena can be approximated as impacts with a cantilevered elastic beam, which allows one to make quantitative measurements of mass and momentum transfer from drop to structure. The results demonstrate how critical the fluid properties are to useful interactions between the applied solution and flower anatomy with different wetting morphologies.

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Authors

  • Salome Hussein

    University of Auckland

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University

  • Mike Smith

    University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Guelph, TRIUMF, Colorado School of Mines, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv U., Cyclotron Institute and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M U., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. Manitoba, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, U. British Columbia, TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Institut f{\"u}r Kernphysik, Westf{\"a}lische Wilhelms-Universit{\"a}t, M{\"u}nster, Germany, Simon Fraser U./TRIUMF, U. British Columbia/TRIUMF, MPIK/TRIUMF, U. Manitoba, U. Surrey, TRIUMF/U. British Columbia, U. Manitoba/TRIUMF, McGill U., Simon Fraser U., Queen Mary University of London, Harvard University, University of Lethbridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, University of Washington, University of Auckland, Central Washington University