When a droplet impacts a surface, it traps a microscopic air-film underneath, which provides a cushioning effect. In fact if the cushioning effect is strong enough, the droplet can actually bounce from the surface, even when the surface is composed of the same liquid with the drop. The cushioning air-film cannot be seen directly. However, if we shine a white light from the bottom of the impacted surface, we can see beautiful interference patterns, just like the rainbow colors on a soap bubble. Different colors represent different thicknesses of the air-film from which the shape and the height of the air-film can be evaluated.

Here, we portray the life-cycle of this air cushion through the interference patterns when a drop impacts a liquid surface. Each slice represents a time instance. The impact starts from the top-right corner and time lapses clock-wise. The first two slices are when the droplet is approaching the surface and rest are when the droplet leaving the surface.

This submission won the Second Prize for Artistic Merit at the 10th US National Combustion Meeting Art Competition, 2017.