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Similarity of large Reynolds number boundary layers

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Abstract

Similarity will exist for both the mean velocity and the turbulent shear stress of a turbulent boundary layer if the following conditions are met: (1) The surface shear is constant. (2) The boundary layer thickness parameters vary linearly with downstream distance. (3) The flow Reynolds number approaches infinity.

These conditions may be nearly obtained in atmospheric type boundary layers. Measurements are presented from the Colorado State University Atmospheric Simulation Wind Tunnel which demonstrate the similarity. The wind-tunnel Reynolds number is from one to two orders of magnitude smaller than those of an atmospheric boundary layer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Yugoslovia

    Dusan Zoric

  2. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

    V. A. Sandborn

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  1. Dusan Zoric
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  2. V. A. Sandborn
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Zoric, D., Sandborn, V.A. Similarity of large Reynolds number boundary layers. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 2, 326–333 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184773

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184773

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