Surface wakes on ultra-soft solids

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Chakrabarti, Aditi, Jaganathan, Divya, Haussman, Robert, Mahadevan, L.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Chakrabarti, Aditi
Jaganathan, Divya
Haussman, Robert
Mahadevan, L.
author_facet Chakrabarti, Aditi
Jaganathan, Divya
Haussman, Robert
Mahadevan, L.
contents We explore the dynamical response of the free surface of an ultra-soft solid driven by a localized moving pressure disturbance. Experiments reveal a steady V-shaped wake analogous to a surface Mach wedge. A simple geometric argument provides a qualitative explanation consistent with observations. A theoretical framework combining elastodynamic, capillary, and gravitational effects yields a generalized dispersion relation that smoothly interpolates between Kelvin's theory of liquid interface wakes and Rayleigh's theory of elastic surface waves. Together, our experiments and theory reveal the existence of a soft wake regime that bridges fluid and solid surface wave physics, offering new routes for probing the dynamics of soft surfaces.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_03123
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Surface wakes on ultra-soft solids
Chakrabarti, Aditi
Jaganathan, Divya
Haussman, Robert
Mahadevan, L.
Soft Condensed Matter
Classical Physics
Fluid Dynamics
We explore the dynamical response of the free surface of an ultra-soft solid driven by a localized moving pressure disturbance. Experiments reveal a steady V-shaped wake analogous to a surface Mach wedge. A simple geometric argument provides a qualitative explanation consistent with observations. A theoretical framework combining elastodynamic, capillary, and gravitational effects yields a generalized dispersion relation that smoothly interpolates between Kelvin's theory of liquid interface wakes and Rayleigh's theory of elastic surface waves. Together, our experiments and theory reveal the existence of a soft wake regime that bridges fluid and solid surface wave physics, offering new routes for probing the dynamics of soft surfaces.
title Surface wakes on ultra-soft solids
topic Soft Condensed Matter
Classical Physics
Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.03123