Self-similar rupture of viscous thin films in the strong slip regime

Abstract

We consider rupture of thin viscous films in the strong-slip regime with small Reynolds numbers. Numerical simulations indicate that near the rupture point viscosity and van-der-Waals forces are dominant and that there are self-similar solutions of the second kind. For a corresponding simplified model we rigorously analyse self-similar behaviour. There exists a one-parameter family of self-similar solutions and we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for convergence to any self-similar solution in a certain parameter regime. We also present a conjecture on the domains of attraction of all self-similar solutions which is supported by numerical simulations.