Stability and Transition in Shear Flows [Paperback]

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.The field of hydrodynamic stability has a long history, going back to Rey? nolds and Lord Rayleigh in the late 19th century. Because of its central role in many research efforts involving fluid flow, stability theory has grown into a mature discipline, firmly based on a large body of knowledge and a vast body of literature. The sheer size of this field has made it difficult for young researchers to access this exciting area of fluid dynamics. For this reason, writing a book on the subject of hydrodynamic stability theory and transition is a daunting endeavor, especially as any book on stability theory will have to follow into the footsteps of the classical treatises by Lin (1955), Betchov & Criminale (1967), Joseph (1971), and Drazin & Reid (1981). Each of these books has marked an important development in stability theory and has laid the foundation for many researchers to advance our understanding of stability and transition in shear flows.1 Introduction and General Results.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Nonlinear Disturbance Equations.- 1.3 Definition of Stability and Critical Reynolló