Properties of annular capillary surfaces with equal contact angles (Q600643)

The authors study the capillary surface between two coaxial cylinders in the presence of gravity. It is assumed that the boundary contact angles are equal at the interior wall of the larger cylinder and at the exterior wall of the interior cylinder. The behaviour of the capillary surface is examinated in limiting cases, that is the cross-section approaches a disk, a thin ring, and the exterior of a disk. Moreover, the authors discuss the curve which defines the rotationally capillary surface. A typical result is that there is a unique value at which the curve achieves its minimum. The main tool for the proofs is a maximum principle related to capillary surfaces.