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The Dynamics of Turbulent Spots

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Frontiers in Fluid Mechanics

Abstract

In this article we present a critical review of the present state of knowledge of turbulent spots. We discuss the properties of both newborn as well as fully-developed spots. Both ensemble-averaged results and also the underlying structure of the spot are presented. It is shown that the ensemble-averaged results can be misleading, and that the spot has many features similar to those of a fully-turbulent boundary layer. The mechanisms by which a turbulent spot spreads into the surrounding fluid, which were first suggested by Corrsin and Kistler (1955), will be elaborated. Finally, similarities between spots and other flows will be discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    James J. Riley

  2. Flow Research Company, Kent, WA, 98032, USA

    Mohamed Gad-el-Hak

Authors
  1. James J. Riley
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  2. Mohamed Gad-el-Hak
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Technological Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60201, USA

    Stephen H. Davis Ph.D.

  2. Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, 238 Upson Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    John L. Lumley Ph.D.

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© 1985 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Riley, J.J., Gad-el-Hak, M. (1985). The Dynamics of Turbulent Spots. In: Davis, S.H., Lumley, J.L. (eds) Frontiers in Fluid Mechanics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46543-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46543-7_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-46545-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-46543-7

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