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On the generation of surface waves by shear flows Part 3. Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2006

John W. Miles
John W. Miles
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles
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Abstract

The Kelvin-Helmholtz model for the formation of surface waves at the interface between two fluids in relative motion is generalized for parallel shear flows. It is assumed that phase changes across the flow are negligible and hence that the aerodynamic pressure on the wave is in phase with its displacement (rather than its slope). A variational formulation is established and leads to the determination of appropriately weighted means for the velocity profiles. The principal application is to flow of a light inviscid fluid over a viscous liquid; it is shown that the principle of exchange of stabilities is applicable to such a configuration, and a critical wind speed in satisfactory agreement with observation is predicted for an air-oil interface. The results also are applied to an air-water interface and lead to the conclusion that Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of such an interface is unlikely at commonly observed wind speeds. A more general formulation of the Kelvin-Helmholtz boundary-value problem and variational principle, allowing for variations in both velocity and density, is given in two appendices.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , November 1959 , pp. 583 - 598
Copyright
© 1959 Cambridge University Press

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