Abstract
The cycle of bubble production from nucleation sites in a glass poured with champagne was investigated through use of a high-speed video camera fitted with a microscope objective. The bubble nucleation process was directly and accurately observed at a millisecond timescale with a quasi-micrometric resolution. Hundreds of bubble nucleation sites were investigated. Most were located on tiny hollow elongated fibers of approximately 100 µm, with an open cavity mouth of several µm. Such characteristics suggest cellulose fibers. At the point of detachment from their nucleation sites, bubble diameters were found to range from 14 to 31 µm. Three minutes after pouring, bubble formation frequencies were measured ranging from less than 1 Hz up to almost 30 Hz, thus confirming a previous set of data obtained from observation by the naked eye of bubble trains under strobe lighting.
- Champagne wines
- effervescence
- bubble nucleation
- bubble growth
- nucleation sites
- cellulose fibers
- gushing process
Acknowledgments: The authors thank the Europôl'Agro institute and the Association Recherche Oenologie Champagne Université for financial support, Champagne Möet & Chandon and Pommery for supplying wines, and Verrerie Cristallerie d'Arques.
- Copyright 2002 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture
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