Luminescence from cavitation bubbles deformed in uniform pressure gradients

Presented here are observations that demonstrate how the deformation of millimetric cavitation bubbles by a uniform pressure gradient quenches single-collapse luminescence. Our innovative measurement system captures a broad luminescence spectrum (wavelength range, 300-900 nm) from the individual collapses of laser-induced bubbles in water. By varying the bubble size, driving pressure, and perceived gravity level aboard parabolic flights, we probed the limit from aspherical to highly spherical bubble collapses. Luminescence was detected for bubbles of maximum radii within the previously uncovered range, R₀=1.5 -6 mm, for laser-induced bubbles. The relative luminescence energy was found to rapidly decrease as a function of the bubble asymmetry quantified by the anisotropy parameter ζ , which is the dimensionless equivalent of the Kelvin impulse. As established previously, ζ also dictates the characteristic parameters of bubble-driven microjets. The threshold of ζ beyond which no luminescence is observed in our experiment closely coincides with the threshold where the microjets visibly pierce the bubble and drive a vapor jet during the rebound. The individual fitted blackbody temperatures range between T_lum=7000 and T_lum=11 500 K but do not show any clear trend as a function of ζ . Time-resolved measurements using a high-speed photodetector disclose multiple luminescence events at each bubble collapse. The averaged full width at half-maximum of the pulse is found to scale with R₀ and to range between 10 and 20 ns.