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Vortex-Wake Pollution: A Problem in Fluid Mechanics

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Fluid Mechanics and the Environment: Dynamical Approaches

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 566))

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Abstract

The vortex-wake of an airplane contains a system of one or more pairs of trailing vortices. The vortex-wake interacts with the surrounding atmosphere and decays due to instabilities such as the Crow instability. The downwash associated with the wake constitutes a hazard to other airplanes since it may cause an appreciable loss of lift and/or induce a rolling-moment. This can be dangereous if the second airplane is near the ground such as during take-offs and landings. In this paper we begin by drawing parallels between this problem of air-space pollution near airports due to vortex-wakes and other environmental pollution problems. Attention is focussed on how fluid mechanical processes influence different elements of this problem and on fluid mechanical means with potential of alleviating the wake hazard.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305-4035

    Sanjiva K. Lele

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  1. Sanjiva K. Lele
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

    John L. Lumley

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Lele, S.K. (2001). Vortex-Wake Pollution: A Problem in Fluid Mechanics. In: Lumley, J.L. (eds) Fluid Mechanics and the Environment: Dynamical Approaches. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 566. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44512-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44512-9_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-41475-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44512-8

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