Publication Date:
1972-02-22
Description:
An infinitesimal centre disturbance is imposed on a fully Ldveloped plane Poiseuille flow at a Reynolds number R slightly greater than the critical value Rc for instability. After a long time, t, the disturbance consists of a modulated wave whose amplitude A is a slowly varying function of position and time. In an earlier paper (Stewartson & Stuart 1971) the parabolic differential equation satisfied by A for two-dimensional disturbances was found; the theory is here extended to three dimensions. Although the coefficients of the equation are coinples, a start is made on elucidating the properties of its solutions by assuming that these coefficients are real. It is then found numerically and confirmed analytically that, for a finite value of (R-Rc)t, the amplitude A develops an infinite peak at the wave centre. The possible relevance of this work to the phenomenon of transition is discussed. © 1972, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
Print ISSN:
0022-1120
Electronic ISSN:
1469-7645
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
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