Taylor instability of a fluid film on a body

Abstract

The Taylor instability develops in a parallel flows when the body force acts in the direction from the heavier fluid toward the lighter [1]. It has been suggested that an increase in flow vorticity may have a stabilizing influence on the Taylor instability [2]. In studying the hydrodynamic stability of a viscous film on a body in a flow of a low-viscosity fluid [3], the author noted some stabilization of the Taylor instability with increase in Reynolds number, and suggested that cases of complete stabilization of the flow with respect to two-dimensional disturbances are possible with some increase in Reynolds number. In the present investigation, calculations revealed cases in which with increase in Reynolds number the Taylor instability goes over into a Helmholtz instability, which increases with increase in Reynolds number, and also cases in which the Taylor instability completely disappears at some value of the Reynolds number before a Helmholtz instability has developed, i.e., cases of complete stabilization of the flow with respect to two-dimensional disturbances as a result of an increase in Reynolds number.