Single bubble collapse near a wall: Pressure wave and microjet impact
Abstract
The wall loading mechanisms induced by the collapse of a single laser-generated cavitation bubble are investigated experimentally to resolve the long-standing debate over the relative contributions of microjet impact and shock wave emission. By synchronizing high-speed Schlieren imaging with simultaneous wall-pressure and hydrophone measurements, we isolate and quantify these mechanisms across stand-off distances γ∈[0.51,2.25]. Our measurements demonstrate that shock wave emission—not microjet impact—dominates maximum wall pressure across this range. We experimentally verify that the microjet impacts the wall before pressure wave emission for γ≤1.2, refining the previously suggested threshold of γ
Fields of Study & Subjects
Ultrasound and Cavitation Phenomena
Cavitation Phenomena in Pumps
Ultrasound and Hyperthermia Applications
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physics of Fluids
- Publisher
- AIP Publishing
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 4
- Publication date
- 1 April 2026
- Language
- EN