Nonequilibrium Fluctuations of Light Scattering Intensity in the Neighborhood of the Phase Transition Temperature

Light scattering in a 3% aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (metolose) is studied under nonequilibrium conditions within a temperature range of 303–353 K, i.e., in the neighborhood of the phase transition temperature (336 K). It is established that the light scattering intensity undergoes considerable fluctuations in this temperature interval. It is shown that they are caused by quasi-periodic motions (density fluctuations) appearing in the strongly nonequilibrium state of the solution.