The effects of streamline curvature and spanwise rotation on near-surface, turbulent boundary layers

Abstract

A second moment closure model is used to study the mean fields and turbulence structure of spanwise rotating flows and flows with streamline curvature. The effects of flow stabilization and destabilization by rotation and/or curvature and their interpretation in terms of a Rayleigh instability mechanism are discussed in the context of the present model. When applied to the constant flux layer adjacent to a bounding surface, the model provides a similarity theory for flows with spanwise rotation and streamline curvature like that of Monin-Obukhov in the case of density stratified flows. In particular, it is shown that Bradshaw's empirical length scale correction can be derived in terms of the basic constants of the model determined in the absence of rotation and curvature. Also, direct comparisons with experimental data confirm the model predictions. The definitions of strong and mild curvature are discussed and a distinguishing criterion derived.