Vortex filament stability and boundary layer dynamics

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.50.1206· OSTI ID:7241056

Abarbanel, H D.I. ^[1]; Lisi, A G ^[2]; Rouhi, A; Wright, J A ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, Institute for Nonlinear Science and Marine Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, Mail Code 0402, La Jolla, California 92093-0402 (United States)
2. Department of Physics and Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California, San Diego, Mail Code 0402, La Jolla, California 92093-0402 (United States)
3. Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California, San Diego, Mail Code 0402, La Jolla, California 92093-0402 (United States)

Coherent structures in fluid boundary layers at high Reynolds numbers are a prominent feature of these flows. The structures appear as concentrations of vorticity into hairpin'' and other shapes. We explore the inviscid interaction and stability of vortex filaments initially situated spanwise to the mean flow in a model of a boundary layer. Both for a single vortex filament and its image through the boundary and for an infinite line of such filaments with their images we find a linear instability associated with deformations of the filament along its length with maximum instability having a wavelength on the order of the height of the filament above the boundary. The linear unstable manifold for this instability points at approximately 45[degree] from the plane of the boundary in accord with experimental observations and numerical modeling of these coherent structures. This provides a dynamical origin to the observations of the orientation of these coherent structures.

• DOE Contract Number: FG03-90ER14138; FG03-91ER61222
• OSTI ID: 7241056
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics; (United States) Vol. 50:2; ISSN PLEEE8; ISSN 1063-651X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665000* -- Physics of Condensed Matter-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BOUNDARY LAYERS
FILAMENTS
FLUID FLOW
LAYERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
REYNOLDS NUMBER
STABILITY
TURBULENT FLOW
VORTICES