STABILITY AND BIFURCATION OF A CAPILLARY SURFACE ON A CYLINDER.

We analyze the stability of an infinite fluid of cylindrical shape that is wetting the exterior of an infinite circular cylinder. Following the Rayleigh instability criterion and when the length of the cylindrical fluid reaches a certain value, we prove that the fluid bifurcates in a family of periodic constant mean curvature surfaces with the same contact angle as the initial surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]