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Three-dimensional stability of vortices in a stratified fluid

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Abstract

The three-dimensional linear stabilities of vertically uniform shear flows and vortex configurations (dipole, couple, von Karman street and double symmetric row) are investigated through experiments, theoretical and numerical analysis when the fluid is stratified. For strong stratification, all the vortex configurations are unstable to the zigzag instability associated to vertically sheared horizontal translations that develop spontaneously. The most unstable wavelength decreases with the strength of the stratification, whereas the maximum growthrate is independent of the stratification and solely proportional to the strain felt by the vortex core. Experiments and direct numerical simulation show that the zigzag instability eventually decorrelates the flow on the vertical. The zigzag instability is therefore a generic instability that constrains turbulent energy cascade in stratified fluid and contributes to structure oceanic and atmospheric flows.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIUTAM Symposium on Computational Physics and New Perspectives in Turbulence - Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium on Computational Physics and New Perspectives in Turbulence
Pages367-372
Number of pages6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2008
EventIUTAM Symposium on Computational Physics and New Perspectives in Turbulence - Nagoya, Japan
Duration: 11 Sept 200614 Sept 2006

Publication series

NameSolid Mechanics and its Applications
Volume4
ISSN (Print)1875-3507

Conference

ConferenceIUTAM Symposium on Computational Physics and New Perspectives in Turbulence
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityNagoya
Period11/09/0614/09/06

Keywords

  • Dipole
  • Stratified and rotating flows
  • Turbulence cascade
  • Von Karman street
  • Zigzag instability

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