Experimental investigation of splash and crown formation during single drop impact on wetted surfaces

Experimental results concerning crown formation during liquid drop impact on wetted surfaces are reported. Different liquids and numerous impact conditions are investigated. In particular, crown-splash (C-S) and deposition-crown (D-C) limits are determined on the basis of the experimental observations. These limits converge for dimensionless film thickness thinner than 0.03, leaving the outcome of crown formation unobserved. The sole Weber number and dimensionless film thickness cannot explain the phenomenon. It appears that all these data can be described using a combination of Weber and Ohnesorge numbers versus dimensionless film thickness.