The Steady Boundary Layer due to a Fast Vortex

Authors

Andrew J. Bernoff, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
Harald J. H. M. van Dongen, Northwestern University
Seth Lichter, Northwestern University

Document Type

Article

Department

Mathematics (HMC)

Publication Date

1-1996

Abstract

A point vortex located above and convected parallel to a wall is an important model of the process by which a boundary layer becomes unstable due to external disturbances. Often it has been assumed that the boundary layer due to the passage of the vortex is inherently unsteady. Here we show that for a vortex convected by a uniform shear flow, there is a steady solution when the speed of the vortex c_v is sufficiently fast. The existence of the steady solution is demonstrated analytically in the limit of large vortex velocity (c_v→∞) and numerically at more moderate speeds. This solution may provide a useful base state about which to investigate the stability of a boundary layer induced by external disturbances.

Comments

Rights Information

© 1996 American Institute of Physics

DOI

10.1063/1.868823

Recommended Citation

The steady boundary layer due to a fast vortex. Andrew J. Bernoff, Harald J. H. M. van Dongen, and Seth Lichter, Phys. Fluids 8, 156 (1996).