Sonoluminescence in alcohol contaminated water: A drunken bubble

Abstract

The addition of one drop of alcohol to the water of a flask with a sonoluminescing bubble not only strongly quenches the observed light intensity but can also cause a transition from stable to unstable SBSL. We theoretically account for the effect by considering the surface active properties of alcohols. The reduction of the surface tension significantly influences the diffusive equilibrium of the bubble and the shape stability and thereby induces a transition to unstable SBSL. © 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.