Bubble-bubble interactions in a 2d foam, close to the wet limit

Abstract

Following the general approach of Morse and Witten for the deformation of a bubble in contact with neighbouring bubbles, we develop a model for contacting bubbles in two dimensions which can be solved analytically. The force-displacement relations are derived by elementary methods; unlike the case of 3d, no logarithmic factors arise in two dimensions. We also discuss the case of a uniform compression of a symmetric foam structure; the (osmotic) compressibility depends on the number of contacts, as was shown in earlier work by Lacasse et al. Our model, which is based on first principles, without any free parameters, may be extended to simulate 2d foams.