Experimental Study of the Formation of Three-Dimensional Waves from a Two-Dimensional Solitary Wave on Vertically Falling Liquid Films

The decay of a two-dimensional solitary wave into three-dimensional waves in film flow along a vertical plate has been studied using a high-speed laser-induced fluorescence technique that allows high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of the thickness of wave liquid films. It has been shown that the three-dimensional wave packet resulting from the decay of a two-dimensional solitary wave has a strong perturbing effect on the falling film and leads to the formation of rivulets on its surface.