Resonant interactions in bouncing droplet chains

Abstract

In a pioneering series of experiments, Yves Couder, Emmanuel Fort and coworkers demonstrated that droplets bouncing on the surface of a vertically vibrating fluid bath exhibit phenomena reminiscent of those observed in the microscopic quantum realm. Inspired by this discovery, we here conduct a theoretical and numerical investigation into the structure and dynamics of one-dimensional chains of bouncing droplets. We demonstrate that such chains undergo an oscillatory instability as the system’s wave-induced memory is increased progressively. The predicted oscillation frequency compares well with previously reported experimental data. We then investigate the resonant oscillations excited in the chain when the drop at one end is subjected to periodic forcing in the horizontal direction. At relatively high memory, the drops may oscillate with an amplitude larger than that prescribed, suggesting that the drops effectively extract energy from the collective wave field. We also find that dynamic stabilization of new bouncing states can be achieved by forcing the chain at high frequency. Generally, our work provides insight into the collective behavior of particles interacting through long-range and temporally nonlocal forces.

Keywords

• Pilot-wave hydrodynamics
• Walking droplets
• Nonlinear dynamics
• Drop interactions
• Collective dynamics
• Non-equilibrium systems