A systematic analysis is made of published measurements of the magnitude of temperature fluctuations in the atmospheric boundary layer. These cover a wide range of height, wind speed, and thermal stratification. Within appropriate ranges of the variables, there is evidence for the existence of a dominantly forced convection régime, and also one wherein the predictions of the similarity theory of free convection are fairly closely approached. Subject to the limitations set by the recording systems used, regression relations are obtained for the magnitude of the fluctuations in terms of height and vertical temperature gradient or heat flux.

By regarding the amplitudes of a set of orthogonal modes as the co-ordinates in an infinite-dimensional phase space, the probability distribution for an ensemble of randomly forced two-dimensional viscous flows is determined as the solution of the continuity equation for the phase flow. For a special, but infinite, class of types of random forcing, the exact equilibrium probability distribution can be found analytically from the Navier-Stokes equations. In these cases, the probability distribution is the product of exponential functions of the integral invariants of unforced inviscid flow.

This paper is concerned with the high Reynolds number flow over a spanwise-periodic array of roughness elements with interelement spacing of the order of the local boundary-layer thickness. While earlier work by Goldstein et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 644, 2010, pp. 123–163) and Goldstein et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 668, 2011, pp. 236–266) was mainly concerned with smaller roughness heights that produced relatively weak distortions of the downstream flow, the focus here is on extending the analysis to larger roughness heights and streamwise elongated planform shapes that together produce a qualitatively different, nonlinear behaviour of the downstream wakes. The roughness scale flow now has a novel triple-deck structure that is somewhat different from related studies that have previously appeared in the literature. The resulting flow is formally nonlinear in the intermediate wake region, where the streamwise distance is large compared to the roughness dimensions but small compared to the downstream distance from the leading edge, as well as in the far wake region where the streamwise length scale is of the order of the downstream distance from the leading edge. In contrast, the flow perturbations in both of these wake regions were strictly linear in the earlier work by Goldstein et al. (2010, 2011). This is an important difference because the nonlinear wake flow in the present case provides an appropriate basic state for studying the secondary instability and eventual breakdown into turbulence.

A promising mechanism for generating a finite-time singularity in the incompressible Euler equations is the stretching of vortex filaments. Here, we argue that interacting vortex filaments cannot generate a singularity by analysing the asymptotic dynamics of their collapse. We use the separation of the dynamics of the filament shape, from that of its core, to derive constraints that must be satisfied for a singular solution to remain self-consistent uniformly in time. Our only assumption is that the length scales characterizing filament shape obey scaling laws set by the dimension of circulation as the singularity is approached. The core radius necessarily evolves on a different length scale. We show that a self-similar ansatz for the filament shapes cannot induce singular stretching, due to the logarithmic prefactor in the self-interaction term for the filaments. More generally, there is an antagonistic relationship between the stretching rate of the filaments and the requirement that the radius of curvature of filament shape obeys the dimensional scaling laws. This suggests that it is unlikely that solutions in which the core radii vanish sufficiently fast to maintain the filament approximation exist.

Internal hydraulic jumps in flows with upstream shear are investigated using two-layer shock-joining theories and numerical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations. The role of upstream shear has not previously been thoroughly investigated, although it is important in many oceanographic situations, including exchange flows. The full solution spaces of several two-layer theories, distinguished by how dissipation is distributed between the layers, with upstream shear are found, and the physically allowable solution space is identified. These two-layer theories are then evaluated using more realistic numerical simulations that have continuous density and velocity profiles and permit turbulence and mixing. Two-dimensional numerical simulations show that none of the two-layer theories reliably predicts the relation between jump height and speed over the full range of allowable solutions. The numerical simulations also show that different qualitative types of jumps can occur, including undular bores, energy-conserving conjugate state transitions, smooth-front jumps with trailing turbulence and overturning turbulent jumps. Simulation results are used to investigate mixing, which increases with jump height and upstream shear. A few three-dimensional simulations results were undertaken and are in quantitative agreement with the two-dimensional simulations.

An integral method is presented for determining effects of buoyancy due to heat release on the properties of reacting jets and plumes. This method avoids the Morton entrainment hypothesis entirely, and thus removes the ad hoc ‘entrainment modelling’ required in most other integral approaches. We develop the integral equation for the local centreline velocity uc(x), which allows modelling in terms of the local flow width δ (x). In both the momentum-dominated jet limit and buoyancy-dominated plume limit, dimensional arguments show δ (x) ≈ x, and experimental data show the proportionality factor cδ to remain constant between these limits. The entrainment modelling required in traditional integral methods is thus replaced by the observed constant cδ value in the present method. In non-reacting buoyant jets, this new integral approach provides an exact solution for uc(x) that shows excellent agreement with experimental data, and gives simple expressions for the virtual origins of jets, plumes and buoyant jets. In the exothermically reacting case, the constant cδ value gives an expression for the buoyancy flux B(x) that allows the integral equation for uc(x) to be solved for arbitrary exit conditions. The resulting uc(x) determines the local mass, momentum and buoyancy fluxes throughout the flow, as well as the centreline mixture fraction ζc(x) and thus the flame length L. The latter provides the proper parameters Ω andΛ that determine buoyancy effects on the flame, and provides power-law scalings in the momentum-dominated and buoyancy-dominated limits. Comparisons with buoyant flame data show excellent agreement over a wide range of conditions.

Using the semiLagrangian approach of John (1953), both Longuet-Higgins (1982) and New (1983) have proposed simple analytical models of the underside or loop of a plunging breaking wave. Although New's ellipse model appears to be remarkably accurate both in profile and free-surface particle dynamics for a limited region of the loop, both of the loop models are shown to be deficient because neither correctly accounts for the rest of the wave. On the other hand, Longuet-Higgins (1983) gives a semiLagrangian representation of the Dirichlet hyperbola, previously shown to be relevant to the jet of fluid ejected from the top of a breaking wave (see Longuet-Higgins 1980). We show that both this jet flow and the ellipse model of New describing the loop are, for large time, complementary solutions of the same free surface equation. This in turn suggests solutions which combine both the jet and the loop, to give a much more complete model of the entire overturning region not too far from the wave crest, and which has approximately correct free-surface particle velocities and accelerations.

Hypersonic small-disturbance theory is extended to consider the problem of dusty-gas flow past thin two-dimensional bodies. The mass fraction of suspended particles is assumed to be sufficiently large that the two-way interaction between particle phase and gas phase must be considered. The system of eight governing equations is further reduced by considering the Newtonian approximation γ → 1 and M∞ → ∞. The Newtonian theory up to second order is studied and the equations are solved for the case of a thin wedge at zero angle of attack. Expressions for the streamlines, dust-particle paths, shock-wave location and all flow variables are obtained. It is seen that the presence of the dust increases the pressure along the wedge surface and tends to bend the shock wave towards the body surface. Other effects of the interaction of the two phases are also discussed.

A series of laboratory experiments was carried out to examine the interaction between stratification and turbulence at an inversion layer, with the objective of gaining insight into certain wave–turbulence encounters in the atmosphere. A three-layer stratified fluid system, consisting of a (thick) strongly stratified inversion layer, sandwiched between an upper turbulent layer and a lower non-turbulent weakly stratified layer, was employed. Oscillating-grid-induced shear-free turbulence was used in the upper layer. During the experiments, a fourth (interfacial) layer developed in the region between the inversion and the turbulent layer, and most of the wave–turbulence interactions were confined to this layer. Detailed measurements of the vertical velocity structure, internal-wave parameters and mixing characteristics were made in the stratified layers and, whenever possible, the results were compared to available theoretical predictions.

An experimental and theoretical investigation has been carried out to determine the effect of thermal radiation on a natural convection boundary layer formed adjacent to a vertical flat surface with uniform heat flux input. In the experiment, the gases air, argon and ammonia were used as the fluid medium, thus permitting the observation of radiation effects in non-abosrbing and absorbing media. Experimental results were obtained for three different wall emittances at ambient pressures ranging from 2 to 8 atmospheres in air and argon and from 2 to 7 atmospheres in ammonia. An interferometer was used to measure the temperature distributions in the boundary layer and to evaluate the conductive (convective) heat flux from the surface into the fluid medium. The experimental temperature distributions and heat-transfer results obtained in ammonia gas are compared to the predictions of a perturbation analysis developed by the present writers. General agreement between theory and experiment is found. The presence of a radiating gas is seen to increase the convective heat transfer by as much as 40 % for the conditions of the present experiments. The results further indicate that the temperature distributions and wall-temperature gradients are strongly affected by both variations in the surface emittance and variations in gaseous emission and absorption. For non-absorbing gases, the experimental results are found to be in general agreement with existing theory. It is also shown that the experimental temperature distributions agree very well with theoretical predictions obtained by treating the convection and radiation processes as independent and superimposed.

The principal characteristics of jet penetration are the appearance of free stream-lines at the sides of the jet and of a dividing streamline, which separates the jet and penetrated fluid. Kinematic analysis of such flow via free-streamline theory and the notched hodograph is developed with one unspecified parameter, the ratio of jet to counterstream velocity in the steady flow case. The kinetics of the problem, appearing when the jet and penetrated (or counterstream) fluid differ in density, is simply related to the kinematic solution via the square root of the density ratio. Experiments, both steady state and transient with several liquids, are presented which generally verify the theory. The experiments also yield information on the magnitude of the parameter and indicate its variation with the density ratio.

We study the stability of a vortex in an axisymmetric density distribution. It is shown that a light-cored vortex can be unstable in spite of the ‘stable stratification’ of density. Using a model flow consisting of step jumps in vorticity and density, we show that a wave interaction mediated by shear is the mechanism for the instability. The requirement is for the density gradient to be placed outside the vortex core but within the critical radius of the Kelvin mode. Conversely, a heavy-cored vortex, found in other studies to be unstable in the centrifugal Rayleigh–Taylor sense, is stabilized when the density jump is placed in this region. Asymptotic solutions at small Atwood number At show growth rates scaling as At1/3 close to the critical radius, and At1/2 further away. By considering a family of vorticity and density profiles of progressively increasing smoothness, going from a step to a Gaussian, it is shown that sharp gradients are necessary for the instability of the light-cored vortex, consistent with recent work which found Gaussian profiles to be stable. For sharp gradients, it is argued that wave interaction can be supported due to the presence of quasi-modes. Probably for the first time, a quasi-mode which decays exponentially is shown to interact with a neutral wave to give exponential growth in the combined case. We finally study the nonlinear stages using viscous direct numerical simulations. The initial exponential instability of light-cored vortices is arrested due to a restoring centrifugal buoyancy force, leading to stable non-axisymmetric structures, such as a tripolar state for an azimuthal wavenumber of 2. The study is restricted to two dimensions, and neglects gravity.

The evolution of vortex rings in isodensity and isoviscosity fluid has been studied analytically using a novel mathematical model. The model predicts the spatiotemporal variation in peak vorticity, circulation, vortex size and spacing based on instantaneous vortex parameters. This proposed model is quantitatively verified using experimental measurements. Experiments are conducted using high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV) and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques. Non-buoyant vortex rings are generated from a nozzle using a constant hydrostatic pressure tank. The vortex Reynolds number based on circulation $(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D708})$ is varied in the range 100–1500 to account for a large range of operating conditions. Experimental results show good agreement with theoretical predictions. However, it is observed that neither Saffman’s thin-core model nor the thick-core equations could correctly explain vortex evolution for all initial conditions. Therefore, a transitional theory is framed using force balance equations which seamlessly integrate short- and long-time asymptotic theories. It is found that the parameter $A=(a/\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E})^{2}$, where $a$ is the vortex half-spacing and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$ denotes the standard deviation of the Gaussian vorticity profile, governs the regime of vortex evolution. For higher values of $A$, evolution follows short-time behaviour, while for $A=O(1)$, long-time behaviour is prominent. Using this theory, many reported anomalous observations have been explained.

The Arctic halocline is generally stable to the development of double-diffusive and dynamic instabilities – the two major sources of small-scale mixing in the mid-latitude oceans. Despite this, observations show the abundance of double-diffusive staircases in the Arctic Ocean, which suggests the presence of some destabilizing process facilitating the transition from smooth-gradient to layered stratification. Recent studies have shown that an instability can develop in such circumstances if weak static shear is present even when the flow is dynamically and diffusively stable. However, the impact of oscillating shear, associated with the presence of internal gravity waves, has not yet been addressed for the diffusive case. Through two-dimensional simulations of diffusive convection, we have investigated the impact of the magnitude and frequency of externally forced oscillatory shear on the thermohaline-shear instability. Simulations with stochastic shear – characterized by a continuous spectrum of frequencies from inertial to buoyancy – indicate that thermohaline layering does occur due to the presence of destabilizing modes (oscillations of near the buoyancy frequency). These simulations show that such layers appear as well-defined steps in the temperature and salinity profiles. Thus, the thermohaline-shear instability is a plausible mechanism for staircase formation in the Arctic and merits substantial future study.

The study of sediment transport requires in-depth investigation of the complex effects of sediment particles in fluid turbulence. In this paper we focus on intense sediment transport flows. None of the existing two-phase models in the literature properly replicates the liquid and solid stresses in the near bed region of high concentration of sediment. The reason for this shortcoming is that the physical processes occurring at the length scale of the particle collisions are different from those occurring at larger length scales and therefore, they must be modelled independently. We present here a two-level theoretical derivation of two-phase, Favre averaged Navier–Stokes equations (FANS). This approach treats two levels of energy fluctuations independently, those associated with a granular spatial scale (granular temperature and small-scale fluid turbulence) and those associated with the ensemble average (turbulent kinetic energy for the two phases). Although similar attempts have been made by other researchers, the two level approach ensures that the two relevant length scales are included independently in a more consistent manner. The model is endowed with a semi-empirical formulation for the granular scale fluid turbulence, which is important even in the dense collisional shear layer, as has been recently recognized. As a result of the large and small scale modelling of the liquid and solid fluctuations, predictions are promising to be reliable in a wide range of flow conditions, from collisional to turbulent suspensions. This model has been validated for steady state flows with intense, collisional or mixed collisional–turbulent sediment transport, using various sources of detailed experimental data. It compares well with the experimental results in the whole experimental range of Shields parameters, better than previous models, although at the cost of increased complexity in the equations. Further experiments on turbulent suspensions would be necessary to definitely assess the model capabilities.

If, in a large expanse of fluid such as air or water, an object that is heavier than the fluid displaced is released from rest, it descends in a manner that can depend in a complex way on its geometry and density (relative to that of the fluid), and on the fluid viscosity, which, as in other fluid contexts, remains important no matter how small this viscosity may be. A major numerical attack on this problem for the case in which the object is a thin circular disc is presented by Auguste, Magnaudet & Fabre (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 719, 2013, pp. 388–405).