ELECTROHYDROSTATIC INSTABILITY IN ELECTRICALLY STRESSED DIELECTRIC FLUIDS - 1.

It is demonstrated how the nature of the stability of a fixed volume of incompressible dielectric fluid, which fills a channel between solid dielectric sheets and which is stressed by an electric field applied between the interfaces of the dielectric fluid and conducting fluids, is elucidated by a study of the general problem when the channel is not exactly filled by the dielectric fluid. In the case when the width of the channel is large compared with its depth, it is shown how an asymmetric rupture of the dielectric fluid results when the curves of potential difference vs. pressure difference across the interfaces for symmetric and asymmetric equilibrium profiles of the interfaces bifurcate. It is also established that bifurcations only occur when the equilibrium profiles of the interfaces have extrema at the edges of the channel.