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Evolution of the flow field associated with a streamwise diffusing vortex

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2006

C. Frederick Pearson
Affiliation:
Harvard University, Division of Applied Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
F. H. Abernathy
Affiliation:
Harvard University, Division of Applied Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Abstract

The evolution of a shear flow with an imbedded streamwise vortex is considered. An idealized model for the vortical structure is used; the vortex is assumed to be of infinite extent in the stream direction, and to be a potential vortex (vortex filament) turned on at time zero, and subsequently allowed to diffuse under the action of viscosity. The ambient flow is taken to be, initially, a linear shear profile; the flow then evolves under the joint action of viscosity and convection induced by the vortex. Boundaries are assumed to be infinitely removed from the vortex core. A similarity variable is found which reduces the equation for the induced streamwise velocity perturbation to an ordinary differential equation, which is easily solved numerically. The vortex Reynolds number, circulation/viscosity, is found to be of prime importance. Calculated velocity profiles are presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1984 Cambridge University Press

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