Microgravity Research: Materials and Fluid Sciences - Symposium Proceedings(Advances in Space Research S.)

For the first time in the history of mankind, space technology enables researchers to escape the gravitational field of the Earth and to investigate physical phenomena in an environment of near weightlessness. Consequently, the space environment is of enormous interest to the scientific community as a new media in which to investigate the effects of the lack of gravity on numerous processes, especially those involving the transport of heat and matter in fluids. Flight opportunities are scarce so it is important that the international scientific community and space agencies coordinate their scientific activities in addition to the development of facilities and space platforms. Because of the limited opportunities to experiment in orbit, theoretical and numerical evaluations of the influence of gravity on physical phenomena are increasingly employed. The 53 papers contained in this volume represent the most up to date results in microgravity and prepare the ground for meaningful utilisation of the forthcoming International Space Station "Freedom".

Table of Contents:
Section headings and selected papers: Preface. Facilities, Experimental Techniques and Diagnostics. Development of a vibration isolation prototype system for microgravity space experiments, K A Logsdon et al. Optical and thermodynamic property measurements of liquid metals and alloys, J K R Weber et al. Containerless processing at high temperatures using acoustic levitation, C A Rey et al. The advanced fluid physics module: a technical description, V Pletser et al. Fluid Sciences - Theoretical Studies. Recent results on surface tension-driven convection in cylindrical float-zones, N D Kazarinoff. Drop and bubble migration at large Reynolds and Marangoni numbers, D Langbein. Relaxation of non-equilibrium density inhomogeneities in near critical fluids, H Klein et al. Fluid Sciences - Experimental Investigations. Prandtl-number dependence of the onset of thermocapillary flow in floating zones, D Schwabe et al. Dynamics of droplets in uniform electric fields, J M Floryan & I I Incul;t. Non-equilibrium solidification of undercooled metallic melts, D M Herlach & B Feuerba;her. Material Sciences - Theoretical Studies. Anomalies of heat transport in near critical fluids under weightlessness, B Zappoli et al. Directional solidification in immiscible systems: the influence of gravity, J B Andrews et al. Material Sciences - Experimental Investigations. Morphologies of metals and polymeric alloys in microgravity, G C Eastmond & C Patuell;. Overview of National Programmes. Review of hydrodynamics investigation in Soviet microgravity program, V S Avduevsky & V I Poles;aev. Author Index.