Investigating the maximum enrichment in jet drops

The aerosolization of viruses, bacteria, and other particulates via bursting bubble jet drops is an important phenomenon relevant to health and the environment. Past studies have shown that the top jet drop can become hundreds to a thousand times more concentrated than the bulk fluid from which it came, and that this enrichment varies non-monotonically with jet drop size. The fluid in the top jet drop is thought to originate from a spherical shell, or "onion layer", surrounding the bubble surface. As the bubble bursts, any particles scavenged on the bubble are scraped off of the surface and into the top jet drop. However, predictions of the maximum enrichment and the corresponding bubble size remain elusive. A combination of experiments and numerical simulations helps to elucidate the origin of the fluid found in the top jet drop. Using these results, a model is proposed to clarify the mechanisms affecting the enrichment of the top jet drop.