Abstract
Self-sustained oscillations in sinuous mode occur when a water jet impinges from below on a water/air free surface. Confined jet instability is experimentally investigated by image processing and velocity measurements. Despite small deformations of the surface, dynamic response of the jet provides unusual behaviour with comparable configurations (hole-tone, jet edge ...). The central feature is a bounded evolution of the oscillation frequency. Modal transitions are observed when physical parameters are varied. Each frequency jump is related to wavelength modification of the spatial pattern. Atypical evolution of the predominant length scale has to be connected to strong coupling with the weak deformations induced by the impinging jet on the free surface.