The observation of the simultaneous development of a long- and a short-wave instability mode on a vortex pair

Abstract

Experiments on the stability of vortex pairs are described. The vortices (ratio of length to core diameter L/c of up to 300) were generated at the edge of a flat plate rotating about a horizontal axis in water. The vortex pairs were found to be unstable, displaying two distinct modes of instability. For the first time, as far as it is known to the authors, a long-wave as well as a short-wave mode of instability were observed to develop simultaneously on such a vortex pair. Experiments involving single vortices show that these do not develop any instability whatsoever. The wavelengths of the developing instability modes on the investigated vortex pairs are compared to theoretical predictions. Observed long wavelengths are in good agreement with the classic symmetric long-wave bending mode identified by Crow (1970). The developing short waves, on the other hand, appear to be less accurately described by the theoretical results predicted, for example, by Windnall, Bliss & Tsai (1974).