Two-dimensional eddies in a homogeneous fluid at large Reynolds number, if closely packed, are known to evolve towards larger scales. In the presence of a restoring force, the geophysical beta-effect, this cascade produces a field of waves without loss of energy, and the turbulent migration of the dominant scale nearly ceases at a wavenumber kβ = (β/2U)½ independent of the initial conditions other than U, the r.m.s. particle speed, and β, the northward gradient of the Coriolis frequency.

The conversion of turbulence into waves yields, in addition, more narrowly peaked wavenumber spectra and less fine-structure in the spatial maps, while smoothly distributing the energy about physical space.

The theory is discussed, using known integral constraints and similarity solutions, model equations, weak-interaction wave theory (which provides the terminus for the cascade) and other linearized instability theory. Computer experiments with both finite-difference and spectral codes are reported. The central quantity is the cascade rate, defined as \[ T = 2\int_0^{\infty} kF(k)dk/U^3\langle k\rangle , \] where F is the nonlinear transfer spectrum and 〈k〉 the mean wavenumber of the energy spectrum. (In unforced inviscid flow T is simply U−1d〈k〉−1/dt, or the rate at which the dominant scale expands in time t.) T is shown to have a mean value of 3·0 × 10−2 for pure two-dimensional turbulence, but this decreases by a factor of five at the transition to wave motion. We infer from weak-interaction theory even smaller values for k [Lt ] kβ.

After passing through a state of propagating waves, the homogeneous cascade tends towards a flow of alternating zonal jets which, we suggest, are almost perfectly steady. When the energy is intermittent in space, however, model equations show that the cascade is halted simply by the spreading of energy about space, and then the end state of a zonal flow is probably not achieved.

The geophysical application is that the cascade of pure turbulence to large scales is defeated by wave propagation, helping to explain why the energy-containing eddies in the ocean and atmosphere, though significantly nonlinear, fail to reach the size of their respective domains, and are much smaller. For typical ocean flows, $k_{\beta}^{-1} = 70\,{\rm km} $, while for the atmosphere, $k_{\beta}^{-1} = 1000\,{\rm km}$. In addition the cascade generates, by itself, zonal flow (or more generally, flow along geostrophic contours).

A laboratory experiment is presented which examines the role of density jumps in the reflexion and breaking of internal gravity waves. It is found that the measured phase shift of the reflected wave and the measured amplitude of the density jump are in good agreement with linear theory. Local overturning occurs when wave amplitude becomes large, and there appears to be a critical amplitude above which overturning will occur and below which it will not. The overturning seems to be due to local gravitational instability, caused by the horizontal advection of density. Overturning changes the basic flow field in the region of interaction; and it results in smaller-scale motions.

It is argued on the basis of exact solutions for uniform vortices in straining fields that vortices of finite cross-section in a row will disintegrate if the spacing is too small. The results are applied to the organized vortex structures observed in turbulent mixing layers. An explanation is provided for the disappearance of these structures as they move downstream and it is deduced that the ratio of average spacing to width should be about 3·5, the width being defined by the maximum slope of the mean velocity. It is shown in an appendix that walls have negligible effect.

This paper reports the development of practical methods of viscometry to characterize non-Newtonian fluids in slow flow. It is shown that measurements of the free surface near rods rotating in STP and polyacrylamide are accurate, reproducible, and in excellent agreement with a theory of rod climbing. Results are presented that establish the theory and experiment as a viscometer for determining the values of certain (Rivlin-Ericksen) constants that arise in the theory of slow flow. The variation of these constants with temperature in our sample of STP has been explicitly and accurately determined. The experiments in STP show that there is a range of rotational speeds for which STP may be well described by the fluids of grade four. Depth-averaged equations are derived from the equations governing steady axisymmetric flow of any incompressible simple fluid. From the depth-averaged equations, we prove a theorem about the variation of the torque required to turn the rod.

This account of the Colloquium on Coherent Structures in Turbulence held at Southampton from 26-29 March 1974 presents a brief summary of two invited lectures and 42 formal presentations on turbulent shear-flow structure. A number of shorter contributions and discussions are also outlined. The present position of the study of turbulent shear-flow structure is reviewed and some new experimental techniques are discussed.

The problem of electric charge convection in a dielectric liquid layer of high ionic purity, when subjected to unipolar injection, is in many ways analogous to that of thermal convection in a horizontal fluid layer heated from below, although no formal analogy can be established. The problem treated is intrinsically more nonlinear than the thermal problem. We consider two asymptotic states of convection: one where the whole motion is dominated by viscosity, and one where inertial effects dominate. In each state, two or three spatial regions are distinguished. From the approximate equations that hold in the different regions, information about the variation of the different quantities with distance from the injector is obtained, and further approximations permit us to establish the dependence of the current density ratio I/I0 (called the electric Nusselt number) on the stability parameter T = M2R = εϕ0/Kρν, and on 1/R = ν/Kϕ0, which is an equivalent Prandtl number (ε is the permittivity, ρ the fluid density, K the mobility, ν the kinematic viscosity, and ϕ0 the applied voltage). In the viscous state, the analysis gives I/I0 ∞ T½; in the inertial state the law I/I0 ∞ (T/R)1/4 = M½ is obtained. Since M is independent of the applied voltage, the latter law shows the saturation in the electric Nusselt number observed in earlier experiments. The transition in the states is associated with a transition number (MR)T [gap ] 30, which is an electric Reynolds number, related to an ordinary Reynolds number of about 10.

The experimental results, obtained in liquids of very different viscosities and dielectric constants, verify these theoretical predictions; further, they yield more precise numerical coefficients. As for the transition criteria, the experiments confirm that the viscous and inertial effects are of the same order when Re [gap ] 10. It was also possible to determine roughly the limits of the viscous and inertial states. The viscous analysis remains valid up to a Reynolds number of about 1; the inertial state can be considered valid down to a Reynolds number of 60. Schlieren observations show that the motion has the structure of very stable hexagonal cells at applied voltages just above the critical voltage, which are transformed into unstable filaments when the voltage is increased further. At even higher voltages, the motion finally breaks down into turbulence. It may be of interest to point out that, when M < 3, the electric Nusselt number approaches 1, which is equivalent to the situation in thermal convection at low Prandtl numbers.

In this paper we compute the motion and the shape of the free surface on a liquid in a trench heated from its side. The analysis is based on Joseph's Lagrangian theory of domain perturbations, which is developed in general and through simple examples, chosen so as to make the comparison of the Lagrangian method with Stokes's Eulerian theory very clear. The perturbation problems are resolved analytically by application of biorthogonality conditions to a powerful set of biharmonic eigenfunctions.

A model for collective movement and pattern formation in layered suspensions of negatively geotactic micro-organisms is presented. The motility of the organism is described by an average upward swimming speed U and a diffusivity tensor D. It is shown that the equilibrium suspension is unstable to infinitesimal perturbations when either the layer depth or the mean concentration of the organisms exceeds a critical value. For deep layers the maximum growth rate determines a preferred pattern size explicitly in terms of U and D. The results are compared with observations of patterns formed by the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis.

A viscous incompressible stably stratified fluid with a buoyancy frequency which varies slowly with altitude is considered. A simple harmonic localized disturbance generates an internal wave in which the energy propagates along curved paths. Small amplitude similarity solutions are obtained for two-dimensional and axisymmetric waves. It is found that under certain conditions the wave amplitude can increase with height. The two-dimensional theory compares quite well with experimental measurements.