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Full-Text Articles in Physics

Distortion And Evolution Of A Localized Vortex In An Irrotational Flow, Joseph F. Lingevitch, Andrew J. Bernoff May 1995

Distortion And Evolution Of A Localized Vortex In An Irrotational Flow, Joseph F. Lingevitch, Andrew J. Bernoff

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

This paper examines the interaction of an axisymmetric vortex monopole, such as a Lamb vortex, with a background irrotational flow. At leading order, the monopole is advected with the background flow velocity at the center of vorticity. However, inhomogeneities of the flow will cause the monopole to distort. It is shown that a shear‐diffusion mechanism, familiar from the study of mixing of passive scalars, plays an important role in the evolution of the vorticity distribution. Through this mechanism, nonaxisymmetric vorticity perturbations which do not shift the center of vorticity are homogenized along streamlines on a Re1/3 time scale, much faster …


Hydrodynamic Instability Of Chemical Waves, D. A. Vasquez, J. W. Wilder, Boyd F. Edwards Oct 1992

Hydrodynamic Instability Of Chemical Waves, D. A. Vasquez, J. W. Wilder, Boyd F. Edwards

All Physics Faculty Publications

We present a theory for the transition to convection for flat chemical wave fronts propagating upward. The theory is based on the hydrodynamic equations and the one‐variable reaction‐diffusion equation that describes the chemical front for the iodate–arsenous acid reaction. The reaction term involves the reaction rate constants and the chemical composition of the mixture. This allows the discussion of the effects of the different chemical variables on the transition to convection. We have studied perturbations of different wavelengths on an unbounded flat chemical front and found that for wavelengths larger than a critical wavelength (λ≳λc) the perturbations grow …


Convective Instability Of Autocatalytic Reaction Fronts In Vertical Cylinders, D. A. Vasquez, J. W. Wilder, Boyd F. Edwards Jul 1992

Convective Instability Of Autocatalytic Reaction Fronts In Vertical Cylinders, D. A. Vasquez, J. W. Wilder, Boyd F. Edwards

All Physics Faculty Publications

Linear stability analysis predicts that the onset of convection for an ascending autocatalytic reaction front in a vertical cylinder corresponds to a nonaxisymmetric mode. This mode consists of a single convective roll confined to the region near the reaction front, with fluid rising in half of the cylinder and falling in the other half. Experiments show a flat front below the onset of convection and an axisymmetric front well above the onset of convection. New experiments are called for to closely examine the onset of convection in order to test this prediction.