Probability density function (p.d.f.) methods are extended to include modelling of wall-bounded turbulent flows. A p.d.f. near-wall model is developed in which the generalized Langevin model is combined with a model for viscous transport. This provides exact treatment of viscous inhomogeneous effects, and enables consistent imposition of the no-slip condition in a particle framework. The method of elliptic relaxation is combined with additional boundary conditions and with the generalized Langevin model to provide an analogy for the near-wall fluctuating continuity equation. This provides adequate representation of the near-wall anisotropy of the Reynolds stresses. The model is implemented with a p.d.f./Monte Carlo simulation for the joint p.d.f. of velocity and turbulent frequency. Results are compared with DNS and experimental profiles for fully developed turbulent channel flow.

This paper presents a three-dimensional small-perturbation approach to the problem of waves produced in a statically stable stratified air stream flowing over a mountain. The fundamental solution for a doublet disturbance in an air stream in which the parameter l2 = gβ/V2 is constant is calculated, and then is extended to that for a disturbance due to a circular mountain in the same air stream. A simple approximation to the known two-dimensional flow over an infinite ridge is also given. The second (’upper’) boundary condition for the solutions is determined in a rigorous analytical manner, assuming the presence of small friction forces, or, alternatively, of time dependence. It is hoped that this will settle the controversy which exists over the choice of this condition.

The results show that the behaviour due to a doublet is peculiar and not truly representative of that due to a mountain. The latter shows waves which decay down-stream and are contained in a strip, the width of the strip being determined by the radius of the mountain. An interesting result is that the circular mountain can give rise to waves which have greater amplitude than those produced by the infinite ridge under the same conditions.

In some previous papers the waves produced by the infinite ridge have been neglected, but the present paper shows that in many cases this procedure is not justifiable. The detailed solution for the waves behind a circular mountain has a form which emphasizes the importance for lee-wave production of ’resonance’ between the width of the mountain and the characteristic length l-1 of the air stream.

Attention is confined to roll-cell development and roll-cell interaction appropriate to one horizontal dimension larger than either the other horizontal dimension or the depth. At simple eigenvalues Mc the roll-cell amplitude and transport fields can be obtained. Near those aspect ratios corresponding to double eigenvalues Mc, where two roll-cell states of linear theory areequallylikely, thenonlinear theory predicts sequences of transitions from one steady convective state to another as the Marangoni number is increased. Direct comparisons are made of the results here with those of the previous paper for Marangoni convection in circular cylinders. Time-periodic convection is possible in certain cases.

This paper describes experiments and theoretical modelling of a naturally ventilated enclosure containing two point sources of buoyancy. Previous work on the flow and stratification that develop in a space owing to the presence of a single source of buoyancy has been extended to cover two sources of positive or negative buoyancy in an attempt to produce more realistic models of practical problems. Examples include naturally ventilated buildings, and industrial or medical processes involving dispersal of contaminants by air currents. The experimental technique involves the use of a water-filled enclosure with salt solution injected at two points. These sources of negative buoyancy form turbulent plumes within the enclosure. Two sources of unequal strength are found to produce a vertical density profile consisting of three distinct, fully mixed layers. The paper describes a theoretical model that successfully predicts the depths and densities of these layers. The positions of the interfaces between the three layers were found to be a function only of the effective area A* of the enclosure openings, the height of the enclosure H and the ratio of the strengths of the two sources of buoyancy B1/B2. The behaviour of a system with one source of positive buoyancy at the lower boundary and one of negative buoyancy at the upper boundary of the enclosure is also examined. This case has particular relevance to the prediction of thermal stratification in rooms with both cold and warm surfaces present. Again the height of the interfaces is dependent only on the geometry of the enclosure and the source strength ratio. Three distinct types of flow pattern are predicted and observed.

This paper concerns the elliptical instability of a flow in a rotating deformed sphere. The aim of our work is to analyse the characteristics of this instability experimentally and to provide a theoretical model which accounts for the observations. For this purpose, an elastic and transparent hollow sphere has been moulded in a silicone gel block. The flow is visualized using Kalliroscope flakes illuminated with a laser sheet as the sphere is set into rotation and compressed by two rollers. The elliptical instability occurs by the appearance of the so-called ‘spin-over’ mode whose growth rate and saturation amplitude are measured by video image analysis at different Ekman numbers. Growth rates are predicted well by the linear stability analysis. A nonlinear model is developed and is shown to describe correctly the saturated regimes observed in the experiments. At low Ekman numbers, a secondary instability leading to an intermittent regime is also discovered.

The transition process in a supersonic flat-plate boundary layer at Mach 2 is investigated numerically using linear stability theory (LST) and direct numerical simulations (DNS). The experimental investigations by Kosinov and his co-workers serve as a reference and provide the physical conditions for the numerical set-up. In these experiments, the weakly nonlinear regime of transition was studied. This led to the discovery of asymmetric subharmonic resonance triads, which appear to be relevant for transition in a Mach 2 boundary layer. These triads were composed of one primary oblique wave of frequency 20kHz and two oblique subharmonic waves of frequency 10kHz. While the experimentalists have focused on this new breakdown mechanism, we have found that the experimental data also indicate the presence of another mechanism related to oblique breakdown. This might be the first experimental evidence of the oblique breakdown mechanism in a supersonic boundary layer. With the simulations presented here, the possible presence of oblique breakdown mechanisms in the experiments is explored by deliberately suppressing subharmonic resonances in the DNS and by comparing the numerical results with the experimental data. The DNS results show excellent agreement with the experimental measurements for both linear and nonlinear transition stages. Most importantly, the results clearly show the characteristic features of oblique breakdown. In addition, we also investigated the subharmonic transition route using LST and DNS. When forcing both the subharmonic and the fundamental frequencies in the DNS, a subharmonic resonance mechanism similar to that in the experiments can be observed.

In this paper we consider the spectrum and stability properties of small-amplitude waves in three-dimensional inviscid compressible swirling flow with non-zero mean vorticity, contained in an infinitely long annular circular cylinder. The mean flow has swirl and sheared axial components which are general functions of radius. We describe the form of the spectrum, in particular the three distinct types of disturbance: sonic (or acoustic) modes; nearly-convected modes; and the non-modal continuous spectrum. The phenomenon of accumulation of infinitely many eigenvalues of the nearly-convected type in the complex wavenumber-plane is classified carefully: we find two different regimes of accumulating neutral modes and one regime of accumulating instability modes, and analytic conditions for the occurrence of each type of behaviour are given. We also discuss the Green's function for the unsteady field, and in particular the contribution made by the continuous spectrum. We show that this contribution can grow algebraically downstream, and is responsible for a new type of convective instability. The algebraic growth rate of this instability is a complicated function of the mean flow parameters, and can be arbitrarily large as a function of radius in cases in which the local convected wavenumber has a local extremum. The algebraic instability we describe is additional to any conventional modal instability which may be present, and indeed we exhibit cases which are convectively stable to modes, but which nevertheless grow algebraically downstream.

Linear stability theory is applied to the natural convection boundary layer arising from a vertical plate dissipating a uniform heat flux. By using a numerical procedure which is much simpler than those previously employed on this problem, computer solutions are obtained for a much larger range of the Grashof number (G). For a Prandtl number (σ) of 0·733, it is found that, as G → ∞: the effect of temperature coupling vanishes more rapidly than that of viscosity; the upper branch of the neutral curve is oscillatory but does approach a finite non-zero inviscid asymptote. For moderate and large values of σ, a loop appears in the neutral stability curve as a result of the merging of two unstable modes. As σ → ∞, the mode associated with the uncoupled (i.e. Orr–Sommerfeld) problem rapidly becomes less unstable than that arising from the temperature coupling, with the stability characteristics being independent of the thermal capacity of the plate. For small values of σ, only one unstable mode is found to exist with the coupling effect being negligible in the case of large thermal capacity plates but markedly destabilizing when the thermal capacity is small.

By obtaining numerical results out to G ≈ 1010 for the cases σ = 0·733 and 6·7, it becomes possible to attempt to directly relate the theory to the actual observance of turbulent transition. Based upon comparison with available experimental data, empirical correlations are obtained between the linear stability theory and the régimes in which: (i) the boundary layer is first noticeably oscillatory; (ii) the mean (temporal) flow quantities first deviate significantly from those of laminar flow.

The thermal effects on the wake flow behind a heated circular cylinder operating in the mixed convection regime were investigated experimentally in the present study. The experiments were conducted in a vertical water channel with the heated cylinder placed horizontally and the flow approaching the cylinder downwards. With such a flow arrangement, the direction of the thermally induced buoyancy force acting on the fluid surrounding the heated cylinder would be opposite to the approach flow. During the experiments, the temperature and Reynolds number of the approach flow were held constant. By adjusting the surface temperature of the heated cylinder, the corresponding Richardson number () was varied between 0.0 (unheated) and 1.04, resulting in a change in the heat transfer process from forced convection to mixed convection. A novel flow diagnostic technique, molecular tagging velocimetry and thermometry (MTV&T), was used for qualitative flow visualization of thermally induced flow structures and quantitative, simultaneous measurements of flow velocity and temperature distributions in the wake of the heated cylinder. With increasing temperature of the heated cylinder (i.e. Richardson number), significant modifications of the wake flow pattern and wake vortex shedding process were clearly revealed. When the Richardson number was relatively small (), the vortex shedding process in the wake of the heated cylinder was found to be quite similar to that of an unheated cylinder. As the Richardson number increased to , the wake vortex shedding process was found to be ‘delayed’, with the wake vortex structures beginning to shed much further downstream. As the Richardson number approached unity (), instead of having ‘Kármán’ vortices shedding alternately at the two sides of the heated cylinder, concurrent shedding of smaller vortex structures was observed in the near wake of the heated cylinder. The smaller vortex structures were found to behave more like ‘Kelvin–Helmholtz’ vortices than ‘Kármán’ vortices, and adjacent small vortices would merge to form larger vortex structures further downstream. It was also found that the shedding frequency of the wake vortex structures decreased with increasing Richardson number. The wake closure length and the drag coefficient of the heated cylinder were found initially to decrease slightly when the Richardson number was relatively small (), and then to increase monotonically with increasing Richardson number as the Richardson number became relatively large (). The average Nusselt number () of the heated cylinder was found to decrease almost linearly with increasing Richardson number.

The melting of a solid in contact with a hot fluid is quantified for the case in which a difference between the densities of the fluid and of the melted solid is able to drive vigorous compositional convection. A scaling analysis is first used to obtain a theoretical expression for the melting rate that is valid for a certain range of Stefan numbers. This expression is then compared with melting velocities measured in laboratory experiments in which ice and wax are melted when they are overlain or underlain by hot aqueous solutions. The melting velocities are consistent with the theoretical expression, and are found to depend on the heats of solution that are released when the melted solids mix with the solutions. The experiments also indicate that, for vigorous convection to occur during the melting of a floor, the unstable compositional buoyancy needs to be at least twice the stabilizing thermal buoyancy.

An important geological situation in which melting occurs is when large volumes of basaltic magma are intruded into the Earth's continental crust. The theoretical and experimental results are used and extended to examine quantitatively the melting of the floor and walls of the magma chamber, and of crustal blocks that fall into the chamber.

The most general form for the rapid pressure—strain rate, within the context of classical Reynolds-stress transport (RST) closures for homogeneous flows, is derived, and truncated forms are obtained with the aid of rapid distortion theory. By a classical RST-closure we here denote a model with transport equations for the Reynolds stress tensor and the total dissipation rate. It is demonstrated that all earlier models for the rapid pressure—strain rate within the class of classical Reynolds-stress closures can be formulated as subsets of the general form derived here. Direct numerical simulations were used to show that the dependence on flow parameters, such as the turbulent Reynolds number, is small, allowing rapid distortion theory to be used for the determination of model parameters. It was shown that such a nonlinear description, of fourth order in the Reynolds-stress anisotropy tensor, is quite sufficient to very accurately model the rapid pressure—strain in all cases of irrotational mean flows, but also to get reasonable predictions in, for example, a rapid homogeneous shear flow. Also, the response of a sudden change in the orientation of the principal axes of a plane strain is investigated for the present model and models proposed in the literature. Inherent restrictions on the predictive capability of Reynolds-stress closures for rotational effects are identified.

We study laminar thin film flows with large distortions of the free surface, using the method of averaging across the flow. Two specific problems are studied: the circular hydraulic jump and the flow down an inclined plane. For the circular hydraulic jump our method is able to handle an internal eddy and separated flow. Assuming a variable radial velocity profile as in Kármán–Pohlhausen's method, we obtain a system of two ordinary differential equations for stationary states that can smoothly go through the jump. Solutions of the system are in good agreement with experiments. For the flow down an inclined plane we take a similar approach and derive a simple model in which the velocity profile is not restricted to a parabolic or self-similar form. Two types of solutions with large surface distortions are found: solitary, kink-like propagating fronts, obtained when the flow rate is suddenly changed, and stationary jumps, obtained, for instance, behind a sluice gate. We then include time dependence in the model to study the stability of these waves. This allows us to distinguish between sub- and supercritical flows by calculating dispersion relations for wavelengths of the order of the width of the layer.

Philip Saffman made valuable theoretical contributions to different areas of low-Reynolds-number hydrodynamics. Three themes are selected for discussion here: (i) the lift force on a sphere in a shear flow at small, but finite Reynolds number, (ii) Brownian motion in thin liquid films, and (iii) particle motion in rapidly rotating flows. In addition, brief descriptions are given of some of Saffman's other contributions including dispersion in porous media, the average velocity of sedimenting suspensions, and compressible low-Reynolds-number flows.

Linear instability waves, or wavepackets, are key building blocks for the jet-noise problem. It has been shown in previous work that linear models correctly predict the evolution of axisymmetric wavepackets up to the end of the potential core of subsonic turbulent jets. Beyond this station, linear models fail, and nonlinearity is the likely missing piece. The essential underlying nonlinear mechanisms are unknown, and it remains unclear how these should be incorporated in a reduced-order model. The nonlinear interactions are considered in this work as an ‘external’ harmonic forcing added to the standard linear model. This modelling framework is explored using a locally parallel resolvent analysis to determine optimal forcing and associated responses, and a global approach based on 4D-Var data assimilation aimed at finding the optimal forcing of the parabolised stability equations that would minimise errors in the predictions of wavepackets. In all of the problems considered, the critical layer is found to be relevant: it is the position where sensitivity of wavepackets to nonlinearity is greatest. It is seen that disturbances are forced around the critical layer, and tilted by shear as they are advected, in a manner suggestive of an Orr-like mechanism. The ensemble of results suggests that critical-layer effects play a central role in the dynamics of wavepackets in subsonic turbulent jets, and that inclusion of such effects may remedy the shortcomings of linear reduced-order models.

The general analysis of Part 1 is applied to the calculation of the second-order viscous and thermal boundary layers for the axisymmetric stagnation point, unsymmetric plane stagnation point, and cusped leading edge at ideal incidence. The second-order effect upon heat transfer is found usually to be of the order of one-third of that for skin friction.

Data which describe the unidirectional spreading of several pure oils and oilsurfactant mixtures on water in the surface-tension regime are reported. Leadingedge position and profiles of velocity, thickness and film tension are given as functions of time. The data are consistent with the numerical similarity solution of Foda & Cox (1980), although the measured dependence of the film tension on the film thickness often differs from the equilibrium relationship. The configuration of the oil film near the spreading origin may be either a coherent multimolecular layer or a multitude of thinning, outward-moving lenses surrounded by monolayer. The pure oils show an acceleration zone connecting the slow-moving inner region to a fast-moving outer region, while the oil-surfactant mixtures show a much more gradual increase in film velocity.

Vortex stretching and compression, which cause enstrophy production by inviscid processes, are investigated near the turbulent/non-turbulent (T/NT) interface in a planar jet by using a direct numerical simulation (DNS). The enstrophy production is investigated by analysing the relationship among a vorticity vector, strain-rate eigenvectors and strain-rate eigenvalues. The statistics are calculated individually for three different interface orientations. The vorticity near the T/NT interface is oriented in the tangential direction to the interface. The enstrophy production is affected by the interface orientation because the intensity of vortex stretching depends on the interface orientation, and the alignment between the vorticity vector and the strain-rate eigenvectors is confined by the interface. The enstrophy production near the T/NT interface is analysed by considering the motion of turbulent fluid relative to that of the interface. The results show that the alignment between the interface and the strain-rate eigenvectors changes depending on the velocity field near the T/NT interface. When the turbulent fluid moves toward the T/NT interface, the enstrophy is generated by vortex stretching without being greatly affected by vortex compression. In contrast, when the turbulent fluid relatively moves away from the T/NT interface, large enstrophy reduction frequently occurs by vortex compression. Thus, it is shown that the velocity field near the T/NT interface affects the enstrophy production near the interface through the alignment between the vorticity and the strain-rate eigenvectors.

The instability of a rotating-magnetic-field-driven liquid metal flow in a finite cylinder with respect to infinitesimal azimuthally periodic perturbations is studied numerically. This instability is observed to set in prior its axisymmetric counterpart with relatively low frequency at diameter-to-height ratios between 0.5 and 2. The axisymmetric and three-dimensional instabilities have similar characteristic features. The instability originates in the cross-section of the horizontal and vertical rotating boundary layers and excites inertial waves in the inviscid core.