Gravity-driven soap film dynamics in subcritical regimes

Flow visualization data from experiments with an oscillating circular cylinder in a gravity-driven soap film

This article contains flow visualization data from experiments conducted in an inclined gravity-driven soap film intersected by a circular cylinder undergoing controlled transverse oscillations at a Reynolds number of Re≈235. The dimensionless frequency and amplitude of cylinder oscillation were varied systematically over the ranges 0.2<f*<1.8 and 0.1<A*<1.3. A high-speed camera was used to capture the interference fringe patterns reflected from the soap film. These videos show the structure of the wake behind the cylinder, including the initial formation of vortices and the extended ‘vortex street’. Several wake patterns were identified, including the classic 2S, P+S, 2P, and 2T patterns, which are discussed in detail in the accompanying research article titled “The wake of a transversely oscillating circular cylinder in a flowing soap film at low Reynolds number” [1]. The videos presented in this article can be accessed through the Virginia Tech University Libraries’ Repository at https://doi.org/10.7294/14448027.v5[2].