Phase change interactions and singular fronts (Q1904616)

The authors consider mixtures as overlapping continua and the formulation of pertinent jump relations for the constituents at a singular surface. While an elementary phase-change front, across which one phase of a constituent is transformed completely to a different phase, can be treated as a single constituent, more general situations are envisaged by the authors in which co-existing phases on one side of the front, each with their own density, velocity, stress and internal-energy fields, must be treated as separate constituents. If this is the case, then the phase change is accompanied by a mass transfer between constituents. This also results in surface-production contributions and direct transfer of momentum and energy. The paper provides the general jump relations including such surface terms. Their use is illustrated with a number of situations arising in polythermal ice sheets and wet snow packs (cf. works by K. Hutter and associates).