Abstract
The behavior of chemical wave on the interface between an organic liquid phase and a water phase was investigated under the microgravity of JAMIC in Kamisunagawa, Hokkaido in Japan. On the ground the traveling chemical wave appeared on the interface between the water phase (upper layer) and the organic liquid phase (lower layer) (mode A). Under the microgravity, two new modes appeared; one is the chemical wave with the opposite configuration (mode B: organic liquid phase in the upper layer and the water phase in the lower layer) and the other is the rotation of the semi circular column of organic liquid phase (mode C). The new mode C was reproduced on the ground by the experimental simulation of the microgravity condition in which the density difference was taken to be zero between the organic liquid phase and the water phase. The origin of this new mode C was discussed qualitatively. The tapered cylindrical container upwardly was effective for the realization of the mode C, which is a convenient form for the utilization of the dynamic energy due to the chemical reaction. Finally, the chemical wave in the narrow gap between two cylindrical containers changed into a dynamical labyrinth under microgravity.
