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Shear flow stability: the physics of spatial development and viscosity stratification

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Abstract

We describe how a nonparallel shear flow presents completely new physics in its stability behaviour, totally absent in a very close parallel shear flow. Roddam Narasimha’s insight in this context is discussed. The critical layer, where most of the disturbance kinetic energy is produced, plays an important role in this process. This critical layer also plays an important role in a viscosity-stratified flow. Boundary layers at low disturbance levels follow a more “traditional” route to turbulence whereas the process is very different in channels and pipes. In recent decades, strides have been made on understanding the latter, and we describe this. We also mention how viscosity stratification enters this process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

    Ritabrata Thakur

  2. Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

    Arjun Sharma

  3. International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India

    Rama Govindarajan

Authors
  1. Ritabrata Thakur
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  2. Arjun Sharma
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  3. Rama Govindarajan
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Correspondence to Rama Govindarajan.

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Perspectives in some topics in fluid mechanics

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Thakur, R., Sharma, A. & Govindarajan, R. Shear flow stability: the physics of spatial development and viscosity stratification. Sādhanā 48, 163 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-023-02208-x

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