Introduction To Hydrodynamic Stability

Instability of flows and their transition to turbulence are widespread phenomena in engineering and the natural environment, and are important in applied mathematics, astrophysics, biology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography and physics as well as engineering. This is a textbook to introduce these phenomena at a level suitable for a graduate course, by modelling them mathematically, and describing numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. The visualization of instabilities is emphasized, with many figures, and in references to more still and moving pictures. The relation of chaos to transition is discussed at length. Many worked examples and exercises for students illustrate the ideas of the text. Readers are assumed to be fluent in linear algebra, advanced calculus, elementary theory of ordinary differential equations, complex variables and the elements of fluid mechanics. The book is aimed at graduate students but will also be very useful for specialists in other fields.

Hydrodynamic stability is of fundamental importance in fluid mechanics and is concerned with the problem of transition from laminar to turbulent flow. Drazin and Reid emphasise throughout the ideas involved, the physical mechanisms, the methods used, and the results obtained, and, wherever possible, relate the theory to both experimental and numerical results. A distinctive feature of the book is the large number of problems it contains. These problems not only provide exercises for students but also provide many additional results in a concise form. This new edition of this celebrated introduction differs principally by the inclusion of detailed solutions for those exercises, and by the addition of a Foreword by Professor J. W. Miles.

Offers modern and numerical techniques for the stability of fluid flow with illustrations, an extensive bibliography, and exercises with solutions.

The instability of fluid flows is a key topic in classical fluid mechanics because it has huge repercussions for applied disciplines such as chemical engineering, hydraulics, aeronautics, and geophysics. This modern introduction is written for any student, researcher, or practitioner working in the area, for whom an understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities is essential. Based on a decade's experience of teaching postgraduate students in fluid dynamics, this book brings the subject to life by emphasizing the physical mechanisms involved. The theory of dynamical systems provides the basic structure of the exposition, together with asymptotic methods. Wherever possible, Charru discusses the phenomena in terms of characteristic scales and dimensional analysis. The book includes numerous experimental studies, with references to videos and multimedia material, as well as over 150 exercises which introduce the reader to new problems.

A detailed look at some of the more modern issues of hydrodynamic stability, including transient growth, eigenvalue spectra, secondary instability. It presents analytical results and numerical simulations, linear and selected nonlinear stability methods. By including classical results as well as recent developments in the field of hydrodynamic stability and transition, the book can be used as a textbook for an introductory, graduate-level course in stability theory or for a special-topics fluids course. It is equally of value as a reference for researchers in the field of hydrodynamic stability theory or with an interest in recent developments in fluid dynamics. Stability theory has seen a rapid development over the past decade, this book includes such new developments as direct numerical simulations of transition to turbulence and linear analysis based on the initial-value problem.

Hamiltonian fluid dynamics and stability theory work hand-in-hand in a variety of engineering, physics, and physical science fields. Until now, however, no single reference addressed and provided background in both of these closely linked subjects. Introduction to Hamiltonian Fluid Dynamics and Stability Theory does just that-offers a comprehensive introduction to Hamiltonian fluid dynamics and describes aspects of hydrodynamic stability theory within the context of the Hamiltonian formalism. The author uses the example of the nonlinear pendulum-giving a thorough linear and nonlinear stability analysis of its equilibrium solutions-to introduce many of the ideas associated with the mathematical argument required in infinite dimensional Hamiltonian theory needed for fluid mechanics. He examines Andrews' Theorem, derives and develops the Charney-Hasegawa-Mima (CMH) equation, presents an account of the Hamiltonian structure of the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation, and discusses the stability theory associated with the KdV soliton. The book's tutorial approach and plentiful exercises combine with its thorough presentations of both subjects to make Introduction to Hamiltonian Fluid Dynamics and Stability Theory an ideal reference, self-study text, and upper level course book.

Publisher Description

The Nobel Laureate's monumental study surveys hydrodynamic and hydromagnetic stability as a branch of experimental physics, surveying thermal instability of a layer of fluid heated from below, Benard problem, more.