English

Mathematical Modelling of Tyndall Star Initiation

Fluid Dynamics 2015-08-19 v3 Analysis of PDEs Classical Physics

Abstract

The superheating that usually occurs when a solid is melted by volumetric heating can produce irregular solid-liquid interfaces. Such interfaces can be visualised in ice, where they are sometimes known as Tyndall stars. This paper describes some of the experimental observations of Tyndall stars and a mathematical model for the early stages of their evolution. The modelling is complicated by the strong crystalline anisotropy, which results in an anisotropic kinetic undercooling at the interface; it leads to an interesting class of free boundary problems that treat the melt region as infinitesimally thin.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1501.00935,
  title  = {Mathematical Modelling of Tyndall Star Initiation},
  author = {Andrew A. Lacey and Matthew G. Hennessy and Peter Harvey and Richard F. Katz},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1501.00935},
  year   = {2015}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T07:51:30.492Z