An evolution equation describing the dynamics of an evaporating liquid film has previously been developed from the governing equations of fluid dynamics after the application of the lubrication approximation and the choice of a viscous time scale.

The authors have solved the evaporating liquid film evolution equation with a validated numeric program. Different mechanical boundary conditions were successfully applied and their effect on the film dynamics was examined. The evolution equation has also been modified to include buoyancy driven instabilities.

This paper outlines a linear stability analysis that was performed on the time dependent, evaporating liquid film evolution equation. The effect of the evaporation rate, departure from equilibrium at the interface and variable gravity is examined by solving the equation as an initial value problem.

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