Abstract
A technique of controlling surface tension flows using thermal radiation is proposed. This method takes advantage of the dependence on temperature of the surface tension forces to produce the desired controlling effects. In this research, a capillary water jet is taken as an example of a surface tension dominated flow. The ability to cancel a preexisting unstable perturbation is demonstrated. First an acoustical disturbance that dominates the naturally occurring perturbations is applied to the jet. This causes jet breakup at a shorter and constant distance from the orifice.