Stability of Parallel Flows

Book excerpt: Stability of Parallel Flows provides information pertinent to hydrodynamical stability. This book explores the stability problems that occur in various fields, including electronics, mechanics, oceanography, administration, economics, as well as naval and aeronautical engineering. Organized into two parts encompassing 10 chapters, this book starts with an overview of the general equations of a two-dimensional incompressible flow. This text then explores the stability of a laminar boundary layer and presents the equation of the inviscid approximation. Other chapters present the general equations governing an incompressible three-dimensional flow, which requires the massive use of a computer. This book discusses as well the experimental studies on the oscillations of the boundary layer wherein the mean flow is affected by the presence of oscillations. The final chapter describes the concept of the stability of turbulent flows found in boundary layers, wakes, and jets. This book is a valuable resource for physicists, mathematicians, engineers, scientists, and researchers.