Introduction to Hydrodynamic Stability / Edition 1

by P. G. Drazin

Overview

Instability of flows and their transition to turbulence are widespread phenomena in engineering and the natural environment. They are important in applied mathematics, astrophysics, biology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, physics, and engineering. This is a graduate-level textbook to introduce these phenomena by modeling them mathematically, and describing numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. The visualization of instabilities is emphasized with many figures. 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 differntial equations, complex variable and the elements of fluid mechanics. The book is aimed at graduate students, but is very useful for specialists in other fields.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521009652
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/09/2002
Series:	Cambridge Texts in Applied Mathematics , #32
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	278
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 8.86(h) x 0.55(d)

Table of Contents

1. General introduction; 2. Introduction to steady flows, their instability and bifurcations; 3. Kelvin–Helmholtz instability; 4. Capillary instability of a jet; 5. Development of instabilities in time and space; 6. Rayleigh–Bénard convection; 7. Centrifugal instability; 8. Stability of parallel flows; 9. Routes to chaos and turbulence; 10. Case studies in transition to turbulence; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"Each chapter concludes with a large body of exercises (120 in all), of varying degrees of difficulty. These will be a boon for the instructor who is charged with finding suitable questions for assessment purposes. I found this book to be a very readable introductory textbook, and one which will make an excellent addition to the library of anyone contemplating a graduate level course in hydrodynamic stability." Mathematical Reviews

From the Publisher

A textbook for a graduate or undergraduate course. Students are assumed to be familiar with the elements of the theory and practice of fluid mechanics as taught in typical first courses. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR