  The nonlinear dynamics of the free surface of an ideal conducting liquid in a
strong external electric field is studied. It is establish that the equations
of motion for such a liquid can be solved in the approximation in which the
surface deviates from a plane by small angles. This makes it possible to show
that on an initially smooth surface for almost any initial conditions points
with an infinite curvature corresponding to branch points of the root type can
form in a finite time.
