Abstract
Having discussed viscous flow at low Reynolds numbers in Chapter 9, now we turn our attention to the diametrically opposite limit of inertia-dominated flow at high Reynolds numbers. Inspecting the changes in the structure of a flow with increasing Reynolds number, we encounter a rich phenomenology and a variety of transition protocols. In all cases, when the Reynolds number exceeds a critical threshold, flow instability sets in and a smallscale turbulent motion is established. The study of the structure and dynamics of flow at high Reynolds numbers encompasses several complementary topics including potential flow theory, boundary-layer analysis, hydrodynamic stability, turbulent flow, and vortex motion. Potential flow was discussed earlier in this book; boundary-layer theory, hydrodynamic stability, and turbulent motion are discussed in this chapter; vortex motion is the exclusive topic of Chapter 11.
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