Abstract
This study presents a piecewise model for determining the vertical distance and velocity evolution with time for a sphere impacting a water surface and submerging to depths beyond deep-seal cavity pinch-off. Experimental data taken with a high-speed camera are presented for varying sphere mass ratios and impact velocities. The semi-empirical model incorporates results from previously published research and is shown to be in good agreement with experiments for heavier spheres but deviates when the sphere is only slightly denser than water. Two causes for the deviation are presented which relate to the dynamics of the cavity pinch-off event and the inception of a trailing vortex ring after the trailing cavity sloughs from the sphere. A model for predicting cavity pinch-off time and sphere position and velocity at the moment of cavity pinch-off is shown to agree well with experimental results for varying sphere mass ratios and impact velocities. The key experimental values are provided for comparison with current and future modeling efforts.