  For the first time we observed formation of small satellite droplets from the
bridge at droplet coalescence. Investigations were made using a Hele-Shaw cell
in the two-phase region at nematic-isotropic phase transition. In previous
works on coalescence it was considered that before start of coalescence there
exists a bridge between the outer fluid connecting regions on the two sides of
the droplets (outer bridge). After start of coalescence a bridge connecting the
two droplets appears (droplet bridge) and the outer bridge is broken. For the
first time we have shown that there are coalescence processes when after start
of coalescence both the droplet bridge and the outer bridge can exist. This
cardinally changes the coalescence process. During the first coalescence stage
the size of the outer bridge decreases, the size of the droplet bridge
increases. During the second stage the outer bridge becomes unstable with
pinch-off, formation of pointed end domains, secondary instability, splitting
of pointed end domains and formation of satellite droplets. Our work connects
two areas of fluid dynamics: coalescence and breakup with formation of
satellite droplets.
