Using cinematic digital holography, we demonstrate that turbulent breakup of crude oil mixed with dispersants into microdroplets starts with the formation of very long and quite stable, single or multiple microthreads that trail behind $300–1400\mu \mathrm{m}$ droplets. These threads extend from Reynolds number dependent regions with high surfactant concentration, which, along with associated viscosities and stretching by turbulence stabilizes the threads. The subsequent breakup, producing $2.8\mu \mathrm{m}$ droplets, is due to an increasing surface area and diffusion of dispersants into the continuous phase.

• Received 2 July 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.054501