Manchester Applied Mathematics and Numerical Analysis Seminars Winter 1998

October 28, 1998, 4 pm

Lecture Theatre D13 Material Science

Vortex Breakdown

S.J. Cowley (and M.O. Souza), DAMTP, Univ. of Cambridge

Two aspects of vortex breakdown in initially axisymmetric, inviscid flows are studied in order to clarify (slightly) previous results.

• We examine the structure of the `shocks' that can develop in the unsteady evolution of slender vortices, e.g. vortex filaments. We show that the internal structure of the `shock' is highly oscillatory. This suggests that `rational' asymptotic models for the evolution of vortex filaments may not have great success.
• We examine the asymmetric high-Reynolds-number viscous instability of a swirling vortex close to the critical `marginal' swirl.

For further info contact either Matthias Heil (mheil@ma.man.ac.uk), Mark Muldoon (M.Muldoon@umist.ac.uk)or the seminar secretary (Tel. 0161 275 5800).