Annular viscous extension 2026-10-06
Uniform axial strain rate in an annular Newtonian fluid gives radial velocity . For radii , area parameter , and constant gas pressures,
The opposite signs of inner and outer curvature in the Young–Laplace equation give these expressions. The kinematic boundary condition implies and
For equal internal and external pressures, zero axial strain rate and positive surface tension, annular viscous extension gives constant and thickness . Since , the central hole closes at
The formula holds until closure and requires a genuine initial annulus; the subsequent topology has no inner cylindrical interface.
Write , , , and . Incompressible flow with axial strain rate gives
Its radial Stokes equation gives , because . The radial Newtonian fluid stress tensor component is . The outer and inner Young–Laplace equation conditions have opposite curvature signs:
Subtracting and eliminating gives
In particular, the boxed pressure is equivalent to the printed identity for . For equal gas pressures, , so surface tension draws both interfaces inward in addition to the imposed extension.
The kinematic boundary condition is at either interface. Taking the difference, and then the difference of squared radii, gives
The cancellation of in the area equation is mass conservation: axial stretching reduces the liquid area while radial redistribution changes the hole size. For , equal pressures, and , , one has and . Since ,
Closure occurs at , so
This capillary collapse of an annular viscous cylinder has finite closure time for and . For it does not close in this case. The annular formula is used only up to closure; the singular cylindrical inner curvature is not a boundary condition on the subsequent solid cylinder.