Study of thermocapillary flow in a liquid bridge towards an on-orbit experiment aboard the international space station Original Research Article

The Japan Experimental Module (JEM) is now under construction to be installed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2005. The Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF) is one of the test facilities constituting JEM. Specifications of FPEF are outlined. A thermocapillary convection experiment is now planned and prepared by the authorsʹ group for an on-orbit experiment with the use of FPEP at JEM. A series of terrestrial experiments is now being conducted for the preparation of the on-orbit experiment. Among the obtained results, the critical condition of the steady-unsteady transition and the modal structure of oscillation are described. An observed peculiar phenomenon of the particle accumulation is also reported and the types of accumulation structures which were encountered are discussed.