MECH&AE 252A

Main Course

Stability of Fluid Motion

Description

Lecture, four hours; outside study, eight hours. Requisite: course 150A. Mechanisms by which laminar flows can become unstable and lead to turbulence of secondary motions. Linear stability theory; thermal, centrifugal, and shear instabilities; boundary layer instability. Nonlinear aspects: sufficient criteria for stability, subcritical instabilities, supercritical states, transition to turbulence. Letter grading.

Prerequisites

• Required: MECH&AE 150A

  Plan

  Taken?