Chaotic behavior in bubble formation dynamics

We constructed an experimental apparatus to study the dynamics of the formation of air bubbles in a submerged nozzle in a water/glycerin solution inside a cylindrical tube. The delay time between successive bubbles was measured with a laser-photodiode system. It was observed bifurcations, chaotic behavior, and sudden changes in a periodic regime as a function of the decreasing air pressure in a reservoir. We also observed dynamical effects by applying a sound wave tuned to the fundamental frequency of the air column above the solution. As a function of the sound wave amplitude, we obtained a limit cycle, a flip bifurcation, chaotic behavior, and the synchronization of the bubbling with sound wave frequency. We related some of the different dynamical behaviors to coalescent effects and bubble sizes