# Density contrast matters for drop fragmentation thresholds at low Ohnesorge number

## TL;DR

This study numerically investigates how the density contrast between liquid and gas influences drop fragmentation thresholds at low Ohnesorge numbers, revealing that density contrast significantly affects the critical Weber number for breakup regimes.

## Contribution

It introduces a theoretical prediction for the transitional Weber number based on density contrast, highlighting the stabilizing effect of small density contrasts in drop fragmentation.

## Key findings

- Density contrast modifies the critical Weber number for breakup.
- Small density contrasts have a stabilizing effect explained by inertial effects.
- Theoretical model predicts transition Weber number as a function of density contrast.

## Abstract

We address numerically the deformation and fragmentation dynamics of a single liquid drop subject to impulsive acceleration by a unidirectional gas stream. The density ratio between the liquid and gaseous phases is varied in the $10-2000$ range and comparisons are made with recent drop breakup experiments. We show for low Ohnesorge numbers that the liquid-gas density contrast significantly modifies the critical Weber number for the transition between bursting and stripping fragmentation regimes, on the one hand, and for drop fragmentation, on the other hand. We suggest a simple theoretical argument to predict the transitional Weber number as a function of the density contrast and show that the stabilising influence of small contrasts can be explained by inertial effects in the nonlinear coupling between drop stretching and centroid acceleration.