Instability of the Liquid Dielectric Surface in a Perpendicularly Applied Electric Field

The mechanisms of the instability development at the vapor-liquid dielectric interface in a wide range of dielectric constants are discussed. The characteristic property of such instabilities, as in the case of the charged surface of superfluid helium He II or liquid hydrogen, is the formation of metastable soliton-like structures. This enables one to speak about periodic corrugation of the surface of a liquid dielectric. The present paper discusses the details of this process, its similarity, and differences with phenomena on the charged surface of superfluid helium. The behavior of the interface of pure water at room temperature is of special interest. In this case is important not only a significant jump of the dielectric constant as in cryogenic liquids, but also the presence of a small, but finite degree of dissociation of water molecules.