Skip to main content
Log in

Theory of stability of rotating shear flows

  • Published:
Fluid Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The stability of rotating horizontal-shear flows is investigated within the framework of the linear approximation. The shear flow perturbations are divided into three classes (symmetric and two- and three-dimensional) and sufficient conditions of stability are obtained for each class. The perturbation dynamics in a flow with constant horizontal shear are described and the algebraic instability of the flow with respect to three-dimensional perturbations is detected. It is shown that the symmetric perturbations may be localized (trapped) inside the shear layer. The problem of finding the growth rates and frequencies of the trapped waves is reduced to a quantum-mechanical Schrödinger equation. Exact solutions are obtained for a “triangular” jet and hyperbolic shear.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. P.G. Drazin, Introduction to Hydrodynamic Stability (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2002; Fizmatlit, Nauka, 2005).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. L.A. Dikii, Hydrodynamic Stability and Atmospheric Dynamics (Gidrometeoizdat, Leningrad, 1976) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  3. P.J. Schmid and D.S. Henningson, Stability and Transition in Shear Flows (Springer, N.Y., 2001).

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  4. D.J. Tritton and P.A. Davies, “Instabilities in geophysical hydrodynamics,” in Hydrodynamic Instabilities and the Transition to Turbulence, Ed. by H. L. Swinney and J. P. Gollub, (Springer, Berlin, etc., 1981).

  5. A. Gill, Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics, Vol. 1 (Academic Press, New York, etc., 1982; Mir, Moscow, 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  6. R. Plougonven and V. Zeitlin, “Lagrangian Approach to Geostrophic Adjustment of Frontal Anomalies in a Stratified Fluid,” Geophys. and Astrophys. Fluid. Dyn. 99, 101–135 (2005).

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. M.V. Kalashnik, G.R. Mamatsashvili, G.D. Chagelishvili, and D.G. Lominadze, “Dynamics of Asymmetric Perturbations in a Geostrophic Flow with Constant Horizontal Shear,” Dokl. Ros. Akad. Nauk 399, No. 5, 687–692 (2004).

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Pedlosky, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 2 (Springer, New York, etc., 1979; Mir, Moscow, 1984).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. V.P. Dymnikov and A.N. Filatov, Stability of Large-Scale Atmospheric Processes (Gidrometeoizdat, Leningrad, 1990) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  10. H.P. Greenspan, The Theory of Rotating Fluids (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1968; Gidrometeoizdat, Leningrad, 1975).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. J.A. Johnson, “The Stability of Shearing Motion in a Rotating Fluid,” J. Fluid. Mech. 17, Pt. 3, 337–352 (1963).

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. M.V. Kalashnik and P.N. Svirkunov, “Symmetric Stability of States of the Cycloclostrophic and Geostrophic Balances in a Stratified Medium,” Dokl. Ros. Akad. Nauk 348, No. 6, 811–813 (1996).

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. K. Ooyama, “On the Stability of the Baroclinic Circular Vortex: a Sufficient Criterion for Instability,” J. Atmos. Sci., 23, No. 1, 43–53 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. P.N. Svirkunov, “Conditions of Symmetric Stability of Vortex Motions of an Ideal Stratified Fluid,” Prikl. Mat. Mekh. 62, No. 6, 996–1001 (1998).

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. M.V. Kalashnik, D.G. Lominadze, and G.D. Chagelishvili, “Linear Dynamics of Perturbations in Flows with Constant Horizontal Shear,” Fluid Dynamics 40, 854–864 (2005).

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. N.N. Moiseev, Asymptotic Methods of Nonlinear Mechanics (Nauka, Moscow, 1987) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  17. L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz, Theoretical Physics. Vol. 3. Quantum Mechanics. Nonrelativistic Theory (Fizmatgiz, Moscow, 1963) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  18. A.F. Nikiforov and V.B. Uvarov, Special Functions ofMathematical Physics (Nauka, Moscow, 1984) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Additional information

Original Russian Text © M.V. Kalashnik, 2007, published in Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, 2007, Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 47–60.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kalashnik, M.V. Theory of stability of rotating shear flows. Fluid Dyn 42, 376–388 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0015462807030064

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0015462807030064

Keywords

Navigation