Two-dimensional steady laminar flows past multiple thin blades positioned in near or exact sequence are examined for large Reynolds numbers. Symmetric configurations require solution of the boundary-layer equations alone, in parabolic fashion, over the successive blades. Non-symmetric configurations in contrast yield a new global inner–outer interaction in which the boundary layers, the wakes and the potential flow outside have to be determined together, to satisfy pressure-continuity conditions along each successive gap or wake. A robust computational scheme is used to obtain numerical solutions in direct or design mode, followed by analysis. Among other extremes, many-blade analysis shows a double viscous structure downstream with two streamwise length scales operating there. Lift and drag are also considered. Another new global interaction is found further downstream. All the interactions involved seem peculiar to multi-blade flows.

This paper considers hydraulic control and upstream influence in systems where the only wave propagation mechanism arises from the variation of vorticity or potential vorticity. These systems include two-dimensional shear flows as well as many simple paradigms for large-scale geophysical flows. The simplest is a flow in which the vorticity or potential vorticity is piecewise constant. We consider such a flow confined to a rotating channel and disturbed by a topographic perturbation. We analyse the behaviour of the system using steady nonlinear long-wave theory and demonstrate that it exhibits behaviour analogous to open-channel hydraulics, with the possibility of different upstream and downstream states. The manner by which the system achieves such states is examined using time-dependent long-wave theory via integration along characteristics and using full numerical solution via the contour-dynamics technique.

The full integrations agree well with the hydraulic interpretation of the steady-state theory. One aspect of the behaviour of the system that is not seen in open-channel hydraulics is that for strong subcritical flows there is a critical topographic amplitude beyond which information from the control cannot propagate far upstream. Instead flow upstream of the topographic perturbation adjusts until the long-wave speed is zero, the control moves to the leading edge of the obstacle and flow downstream of the control is supercritical, with a transition from one supercritical branch to another on the downstream slope of the obstacle.

This paper investigates numerically and through an asymptotic approach the three-dimensional stability of steady vertical vortex arrays in a stratified and rotating fluid. Three classical vortex arrays are studied: the Kármán vortex street, the symmetric double row and the single row of co-rotating vortices. The asymptotic analysis assumes well-separated vortices and long-wavelength bending perturbations following Billant (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 660, 2010, p. 354) and Robinson & Saffman (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 125, 1982, p. 411). Very good agreement with the numerical stability analysis is found even for finite wavelength and relatively close vortices. For a horizontal Froude number Fh ≤ 1 and for a non-rotating fluid, it is found that the Kármán vortex street for a street spacing ratio (the distance h between the rows divided by the distance b between vortices in the same row) κ ≤ 0.41 and the symmetric double row for any spacing ratio are most unstable to a three-dimensional instability of zigzag type that vertically bends the vortices. The most amplified vertical wavenumber scales like 1/(bFh) and the growth rate scales with the strain Γ/(2πb2), where Γ is the vortex circulation. For the Kármán vortex street, the zigzag instability is symmetric with respect to the midplane between the two rows while it is antisymmetric for the symmetric double row. For the Kármán vortex street with well-separated vortex rows κ > 0.41 and the single row, the dominant instability is two-dimensional and corresponds to a pairing of adjacent vortices of the same row. The main differences between stratified and homogeneous fluids are the opposite symmetry of the dominant three-dimensional instabilities and the scaling of their most amplified wavenumber. When Fh > 1, three-dimensional instabilities are damped by a viscous critical layer. In the presence of background rotation in addition to the stratification, symmetric and antisymmetric modes no longer decouple and cyclonic vortices are less bent than anticyclonic vortices. However, the dominant instability remains qualitatively the same for the three vortex arrays, i.e. quasi-symmetric or quasi-antisymmetric and three-dimensional or two-dimensional. The growth rate continues to scale with the strain but the most unstable wavenumber of three-dimensional instabilities decreases with rotation and scales like Ro/(bFh) for small Rossby number Ro, in agreement with quasi-geostrophic scaling laws.

Sonic-boom noise penetrating under a deep ocean is affected by its time-dependent interaction with the surface waves, which can significantly influence the perceived sound pressure level and tonal content of the disturbances at depth far greater than expected from the flat-ocean (Sawyers) model. The present theory assumes a small surface slope and a high water-to-air density ratio; the ocean surface in the analysis is modelled by a sinusoidal surface-wave train. The analysis shows that a distinct acoustic wave mode in the form of a packet of wavelets emerges in the sound field far below the surface and attenuates with increasing distance in a manner similar to the cylindrical spreading of monochromatic waves. The latter feature renders the surface waviness influence an effect of first-order importance, overwhelming the primary noise field at large depth. Detailed properties of the deep-water wave fields are examined and illustrated for the case of an incident N-wave, for which an explicit, analytic solution is obtained. The result reveals a similarity structure of the wave field with two distinct time scales and the invariance characteristics of the cylindrically spreading waves, in accord with the group-velocity concept of dispersive waves. An example is given of the interaction, illustrating the underwater waveform, sound-pressure and frequency levels.

An axisymmetric flow due to a submerged sink in water of infinite depth is considered, with a stagnation point on the free surface above the sink. Forbes & Hocking (1990) calculated numerically a flow for each value of the Froude number F smaller than a critical value Fc. For F close to Fc there is a ring-shaped bump on the free surface. At F=Fc, the crest of the bump becomes a ring of stagnation points. We use the numerical procedure of Hocking & Forbes to show that the bump is the first crest of a train of axisymmetric waves. The wave amplitude decreases with increasing distance from the source. Then we give a local analysis of axisymmetric free-surface flows with a circular ring of stagnation points. We find flows in which the surface has a discontinuity in slope with an enclosed angle of 120° all along the ring. This behaviour is consistent with the numerical solution for F=Fc near the crest of the bump.

Free surface flows of a rotational fluid past a two-dimensional semi-infinite body are considered. The fluid is assumed to be inviscid, incompressible, and of finite depth. A boundary integral method is used to solve the problem for the case where the free surface meets the body at a stagnation point. Supercritical solutions which satisfy the radiation condition are found for various values of the Froude number and the dimensionless vorticity. Subcritical solutions are also found; however these solutions violate the radiation condition and are characterized by a train of waves upstream. It is shown numerically that the amplitude of these waves increases as each of the Froude number, vorticity and height of the body above the bottom increases.

A significant amount of research effort has been made to understand the boundary layer instability and the generation and evolution of turbulence subject to periodic/oscillatory flows. However, little is known about bottom boundary layers driven by highly transient and intermittent free-stream flow forcing, such as solitary wave motion. To better understand the nature of the instability mechanisms and turbulent flow characteristics subject to solitary wave motion, a large number of direct numerical simulations are conducted. Different amplitudes of random initial fluctuating velocity field are imposed. Two different instability mechanisms are observed within the range of Reynolds number studied. The first is a short-lived, nonlinear, long-wave instability which is observed during the acceleration phase, and the second is a broadband instability that occurs during the deceleration phase. Transition from a laminar to turbulent state is observed to follow two different breakdown pathways: the first follows the sequence of $K$-type secondary instability of a near-wall boundary layer at comparatively lower Reynolds number and the second one follows a breakdown path similar to that of free shear layers. Overall characteristics of the flow are categorized into four regimes as: (i) laminar; (ii) disturbed laminar; (iii) transitional; and (iv) turbulent. Our categorization into four regimes is consistent with earlier works. However, this study is able to provide more specific definitions through the instability characteristics and the turbulence breakdown process.

We investigate dynamo action for a parallel flow of an electrically conducting fluid located over a boundary with spatially varying magnetic permeability. We first compute the dynamo threshold numerically. Then we perform an asymptotic expansion in the limit of small permeability modulation, which gives accurate results even for moderate modulation. We present in detail the mechanism at work for this dynamo. It is an interplay between shear (an $\omega $-effect) and a new conversion mechanism that originates from the non-uniform magnetic boundary. We illustrate how a similar mechanism leads to dynamo action in the case of spatially modulated electrical conductivity, a problem studied by Busse & Wicht (Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dyn., vol. 64, 1992, pp. 135–144). Finally, we discuss the relevance of this effect to experimental dynamos and present ways to increase the dynamo efficiency and reduce the instability threshold.

Tubeless and open siphons operate without conduits, in the open, supported only by extensional stresses. Here, we demonstrate that the addition of silica nanoparticles in modest concentrations (on the order of 1% by weight) to an aqueous Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) solution of a moderately low concentration (0.5% by weight) has a dramatic effect on the power of the siphon as well as on the ability of the siphon to completely clean substrates. These enhanced effects may have a partly fluid mechanical explanation, since they also occur when the siphon is laden with inert sub-millimetre particles (Wang & Joseph, J. Fluid Mech. vol. 480, 2003, p. 119). The extensional properties of PEO solutions are greatly enhanced when they are loaded with silica nanoparticles. The degradation of the PEO solution is suppressed by the addition of silica nanoparticles.

The near-wall physics and turbulence structure of a planar shear-driven three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer (3DTBL) with varying strengths of crossflow are examined in a specialized facility. Spanwise shear modifies the near-wall turbulence structure. Flow visualization reveals a reduction of mean streak length by as much as 50%, while streak spanwise spacing remains constant. Power spectra of velocity confirm this shift towards higher temporal frequencies, corresponding to decreased streamwise length scales. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements indicate that the spanwise shear increases the number and strength of flow structures that interact in the inner region of the boundary layer. This leads to increased momentum transfer between low- and high-speed fluids, resulting in a thickening of the inner region of the boundary layer. In addition, the organized two-dimensional boundary layer spanwise vorticity layer along the wall surface is disrupted and forms strong vortical structures that are lifted off the wall surface and diffuse into the boundary layer with streamwise distance. The transverse vorticity experiences a similar alteration. Streamwise velocity profiles exhibit an increasing velocity deficit with increased crossflow, consistent with the thickening of the inner region of the boundary layer. Increases in the normal Reynolds stresses are associated with interaction of the secondary flow structures and modifications to vortical structures with increasing three-dimensionality and higher relative wall speed. Significant increases are observed for the most highly sheared cases with translating wall velocities 2.0 and 2.75 times the free-stream velocity. This increase in the normal stresses leads to an increase in the turbulent kinetic energy over the belt surface, which diffuses into the inner region of the boundary layer with streamwise distance. The Reynolds shear stresses also exhibit a significant increase in magnitude over the belt surface owing to enhanced turbulence production over the translating wall section. In general, three-dimensional effects are confined to the area close to the wall and the crossflow increases the interaction of secondary flow structures leading to modifications of the vorticity in the inner region of the boundary layer. These flow distortions disrupt the near-wall streak structure and result in increased levels of turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stresses, particularly over the translating wall section.

A two-dimensional jet or wake is observed in a frame of reference moving with the fluid at infinity, so that the velocity w(y) in the x-direction tends to zero as y → ± ∞. The fluid is assumed to be an inviscid perfect gas, to undergo-adiabatic changes, and the local speed of sound to be a function of y such that a(y)→ a∞, as y → ±∞. If the disturbance pressure has the form

The dynamics of irrotational shallow water wave turbulence forced at large scales and dissipated at small scales is investigated. First, we derive the shallow water analogue of the ‘four-fifths law’ of Kolmogorov turbulence for a third-order structure function involving velocity and displacement increments. Using this relation and assuming that the flow is dominated by shocks, we develop a simple model predicting that the shock amplitude scales as $(\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}d)^{1/3}$, where $\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}$ is the mean dissipation rate and $d$ the mean distance between the shocks, and that the $p$th-order displacement and velocity structure functions scale as $(\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}d)^{p/3}r/d$, where $r$ is the separation. Then we carry out a series of forced simulations with resolutions up to $7680^{2}$, varying the Froude number, $F_{f}=(\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}L_{f})^{1/3}/c$, where $L_{f}$ is the forcing length scale and $c$ is the wave speed. In all simulations a stationary state is reached in which there is a constant spectral energy flux and equipartition between kinetic and potential energy in the constant flux range. The third-order structure function relation is satisfied with a high degree of accuracy. Mean energy is found to scale approximately as $E\sim \sqrt{\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}L_{f}c}$, and is also dependent on resolution, indicating that shallow water wave turbulence does not fit into the paradigm of a Richardson–Kolmogorov cascade. In all simulations shocks develop, displayed as long thin bands of negative divergence in flow visualisations. The mean distance between the shocks is found to scale as $d\sim F_{f}^{1/2}L_{f}$. Structure functions of second and higher order are found to scale in good agreement with the model. We conclude that in the weak limit, $F_{f}\rightarrow 0$, shocks will become denser and weaker and finally disappear for a finite Reynolds number. On the other hand, for a given $F_{f}$, no matter how small, shocks will prevail if the Reynolds number is sufficiently large.

Linear stability theory is applied to the natural convection of slightly, elastic, viscous fluids in an infinitely long vertical slot. Travelling, as well as stationary, disturbances are considered. It is found that the elasticity (i) slightly stabilizes the stationary disturbances while strongly destabilizing the travelling disturbances, (ii) strongly increases the wave speed while slightly decreasing the wavenumber and (iii) reduces the transition Prandtl number, which separates the stationary cells from the travelling waves, from its value of 12.7 for Newtonian fluids.

Experiments are carried out with a viscoelastic fluid prepared by mixing Separan AP30 with water, giving a Prandtl number of about 30. This fluid is shown to produce wave instability at a Grashof number between 3900 and 4300. Under the same conditions, a Newtonian fluid is shown to remain stable to both stationary and travelling disturbances.