Hydraulic control of homogeneous shear flows

Abstract

If a shear flow of a homogeneous fluid preserves the shape of its velocity profile, a standard formula for the condition for hydraulic control suggests that this is achieved when the depth-averaged flow speed is less than (gh)1/2. On the other hand, shallow-water waves have a speed relative to the mean flow of more than (gh)1/2, suggesting that information could propagate upstream. This apparent paradox is resolved by showing that the internal stress required to maintain a constant velocity profile depends on flow derivatives along the channel, thus altering the wave speed without introducing damping. By contrast, an inviscid shear flow does not maintain the same profile shape, but it can be shown that long waves are stationary at a position of hydraulic control.