Droplet motion with phase change in a temperature gradient.

We examine the droplet motion in one-component fluids in a small temperature gradient by solving linearized hydrodynamic equations supplemented with appropriate surface boundary conditions. We show that the velocity field and the temperature around the droplet are strongly influenced by first-order phase transition taking place at the interface. Latent heat released or absorbed at the interface drastically changes the hydrodynamic flow around the droplet. As a result, the temperature becomes almost homogeneous inside the droplet and the Marangoni effect arising from the surface tension gradient is much suppressed. The droplet velocity is also much decelerated.