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The shear-layer structure in a rotating fluid near a differentially rotating sidewall

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2006

G. J. F. Van Heijst
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Silver Street, Cambridge CB3 9EW Present address: University of Utrecht, Institute of Meteorology and Oceanography, Princetonplein 5, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Abstract

This paper describes the flow of a homogeneous fluid contained in a rapidly rotating cylinder. The upper part of the cylinder rotates slightly faster, giving rise to a discontinuity in the sidewall velocity. The Stewartson-layer structure arising at the sidewall is essentially affected by this discontinuity. In contrast with previously studied problems, the E¼ layer (E is the Ekman number) is unable to perform the matching of the interior flow to the sidewall. It is shown that this matching is carried out partially by the E¼ layer and partially by the E1/3 layer, the latter accounting for the jump discontinuity. This paper also presents an analytical description of the flow in the singularity region near the sidewall discontinuity.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1983 Cambridge University Press

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