Long-wave Instability Research Articles

Closely spaced co-rotating helical vortices: long-wave instability

We consider as base flow the stationary vortex filament solution obtained by Castillo-Castellanos et al. (Phys. Rev. Fluids, vol. 6, 2021, 114701) in the far wake of a rotor with tip-splitting blades. The cases of a single blade and of two blades with a hub vortex are studied. In these solutions, each blade generates two closely spaced co-rotating tip vortices that form a braided helical pattern in the far wake. The long-wave stability of these solutions is analysed using the same vortex filament framework. Both the linear spectrum and the linear impulse response are considered. We demonstrate the existence of different types of instability modes. A first type corresponds to the local pairing of consecutive turns of the helical pattern, which is well described by the instability of a uniform helical vortex with a core size given by the mean separation distance of the vortices in the pair. A second type corresponds to the pairing of consecutive turns of the vortex pair and is observed only for densely braided patterns, which is well described by the instability of two interlaced helical vortices by straightening out the baseline helix. A third type of unstable modes modifies the separation distance between the vortices in each pair and amplifies specific (linear) wavelengths. These unstable modes also spread spatially with a weaker rate.

Modal analysis of non-ducted and ducted propeller wake under axis flow

Modal decomposition techniques, flow field, and spectral analysis are employed to investigate the wake dynamics and destabilization mechanisms of a four-bladed marine propeller with or without a nozzle. Numerical simulations are conducted using the delayed detached eddy simulation model for the wake and the arbitrary mesh interface method for the blade rotation. The presence of the nozzle significantly reduces the wake's streamwise velocity, delays the wake destabilization, increases the wake length, and changes the morphologies of wake vortices. In particular, the hub vortex in the ducted propeller wake is broken down into chaotic turbulence by the perturbation of the backflow. Two modal decomposition methods, namely, proper orthogonal decomposition and dynamic mode decomposition, are used to decompose the vorticity magnitude in the rotor wake field. From modal analysis, the spatial scale of flow phenomena decreases with the increase in modal frequency. Underlying destabilization mechanisms in the wake correspond to some characteristic frequencies. The interaction of each sheet vortex with the previously shed tip (leakage) vortices occurs at blade passing frequency (BPF). The pairing of adjacent tip (leakage) vortices occurs at half-BPF. The long-wave instability of the hub vortex and the wake meandering are stochastic processes, each of which occurs at a frequency lower or equal to shaft frequency. These four destabilization mechanisms can approximately reconstruct the large-scale flow phenomena in the wake. Moreover, each sheet vortex's alternating connection and disconnection with the previously shed tip (leakage) vortices cause the short-wave instability of the tip (leakage) vortices and generate the secondary vortices. The radial expansion motion of large-scale helical vortices in the outer slipstream dominates the wake meandering phenomenon.

Long-wave instability of a regularized Bingham flow down an incline

We investigate the linear stability of a flow down an incline when the fluid is modeled as a regularized Bingham-like fluid, i.e., a material whose constitutive equation is smoothed out. We perform a theoretical analysis by using the long-wave approximation method. The results show the existence of a critical condition for the onset of instability, which arises when the Reynolds number is above a critical threshold that depends on the tilt angle and on rheological parameters. The comparison of our findings with experimental studies is rather satisfactory.

Finite-density-induced motility and turbulence of chimera solitons

We consider a one-dimensional oscillatory medium with a coupling through a diffusive linear field. In the limit of fast diffusion this setup reduces to the classical Kuramoto–Battogtokh model. We demonstrate that for a finite diffusion stable chimera solitons, namely localized synchronous domain in an infinite asynchronous environment, are possible. The solitons are stable also for finite density of oscillators, but in this case they sway with a nearly constant speed. This finite-density-induced motility disappears in the continuum limit, as the velocity of the solitons is inverse proportional to the density. A long-wave instability of the homogeneous asynchronous state causes soliton turbulence, which appears as a sequence of soliton mergings and creations. As the instability of the asynchronous state becomes stronger, this turbulence develops into a spatio-temporal intermittency.

Long-wave instabilities of evaporating/condensing viscous film flowing down a wavy inclined wall: Interfacial phase change effect of uniform layers

The interfacial phase change effect on a thin film flowing down an undulated wall has been investigated in the present study. The study is performed for a general periodic undulated bottom of moderate steepness that is long compared to the film thickness, followed by a case study over the sinusoidal bottom. The long-wave instabilities of the ununiform film are used by deriving a nonlinear evolution equation in the classical long-wave expansion method framework. The one-equation model can track the free surface evolution and involve the bottom undulation, viscosity, gravity, surface tension, and phase change (evaporation/condensation) effects. Linear stability analysis shows that the bottom steepness ζ has a dual role. In the downhill region, increasing ζ destabilizes, whereas increasing ζ stabilizes in the uphill region. Weakly nonlinear waves are studied using the method of multiple scales to obtain the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation. The results show that both supercritical and subcritical solutions are possible for evaporating and condensate film. Interestingly, while one subcritical region is visible for an evaporating film, two subcritical unstable regions are found for condensate film. The numerical solution of the free-surface equation demonstrates the finite-amplitude behavior that tends to dry out for an evaporating film. For condensate film, the thickness increases rapidly. The rupture dynamics highly depend on the initial perturbation, and the bottom steepness has a negligible effect on it. Kutateladze number has a significant impact on the stability characteristic of the film flow as it represents a sort of efficiency of phase change that occurs at the interface.

The amplitude system for a Simultaneous short-wave Turing and long-wave Hopf instability

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>We consider reaction-diffusion systems for which the trivial solution simultaneously becomes unstable via a short-wave Turing and a long-wave Hopf instability. The Brusseletor, Gierer-Meinhardt system and Schnakenberg model are prototype biological pattern forming systems which show this kind of behavior for certain parameter regimes. In this paper we prove the validity of the amplitude system associated to this kind of instability. Our analytical approach is based on the use of mode filters and normal form transformations. The amplitude system allows us an efficient numerical simulation of the original multiple scaling problems close to the instability.</p>

The joint influence of normal vibrations and electric field on the stability of a two-layer fluid system

The article focuses on the joint influence of normal vibrations and normal electric field on the stability of a system consisting of two flat horizontal fluid layers. Two cases are considered. In the first one, the system is formed by two layers of dielectric fluids (both layers have the same thickness) and, in the second, the system includes a dielectric fluid layer and an ideal electrically conductive fluid layer. The results obtained for these two cases are qualitatively similar. We study two approximations: the low-viscosity approximation and high-frequency vibrations. For the low-viscosity approximation, the so-called electric instability mode and the resonant mode are analyzed. In this case, the short-wavelength and long-wavelength instability modes are considered. In the low viscosity approximation, there occurs a viscous boundary layer, which is analyzed using a fast coordinate. The problem is studied by applying a multiscale method. It is demonstrated that vibrations increase the critical value of the electric field strength for short-wave instability in the presence of an electric mode. In the case of the long-wave instability, vibrations increase the curvature of the neutral curve near the zero value of the wave number. As for the influence of the electric field on resonant modes, it can lead to the splitting of the first resonance into two or three modes, depending on the values of the Weber number. When splitting is absent, the electric field reduces the critical amplitude of the first resonant mode. Otherwise, the effect of the electric field is more complex. In the high-frequency limit, the expressions describing the critical value of the electric field strength are similar to those for the electric mode considered in the low-viscosity approximation for finite vibration frequencies, and no resonant perturbations occur in this case.

Longitudinal Modulation of Marangoni Wave Patterns in Thin Film Heated From Below: Instabilities and Control

Non-linear Marangoni waves, which are generated by the long-wave oscillatory instability of the conductive state in a thin liquid film heated from below in the case of a deformable free surface and a substrate of very low conductivity, are considered. Previously, the investigation of traveling Marangoni waves was restricted to the analysis of the bifurcation and stability with respect to disturbances with strongly different wave vectors. In the present article, for the first time, the modulational instability of traveling waves is investigated. We derive the amplitude equation for the modulated traveling wave, which describes non-linear interaction of the main convective pattern with the perturbations with slightly different wavenumbers. The amplitude equation differs from the conventional complex Ginzburg–Landau equation as it contains an additional term of the local liquid level rise. Linear stability analysis reveals two modulational instability modes: the amplitude modulational and the phase modulational (Benjamin–Feir) ones. It is shown that traveling rolls are stable against the longitudinal modulation for the uncontrolled convection. We also investigate the influence of the non-linear feedback control, which was applied previously to eliminate subcritical excitation of traveling rolls. Computations reveal both the modulational modes under the non-linear feedback control. The obtained results show that the modulational instabilities significantly influence the region of parameters where the non-linear feedback control is efficient for stabilization of waves.

Modal analysis of a viscous fluid falling over a compliantwall

We study the modal instability of a three-dimensional Newtonian viscous fluid falling over a compliant wall under the framework of coupled evolution equations for normal velocity and normal vorticity, respectively. The Chebyshev spectral collocation numerical technique is applied in exploring unstable modes for the three-dimensional disturbances. The unstable zones pertaining to surface mode, wall mode and shear mode reduce as long as the spanwise wavenumber amplifies and corroborates the stabilizing influence of spanwise wavenumber. However, the onset of instability for the wall mode decays as long as the capillary number amplifies and ensures the destabilizing influence of the capillary number. Furthermore, the critical Reynolds number corresponding to surface mode found in the long-wave zone shifts towards the finite wavelength zone with increasing spanwise wavenumber and confirms the extinction of long-wave instability. But the inertialess instability created due to the wall mode disappears with increasing spanwise wavenumber. Moreover, the shear mode emerges in the high Reynolds number zone and is stabilized in the presence of spanwise wavenumber. In addition, the analytical derivation of Squire’s theorem is provided in appendix B for the flow over a compliant wall.

Patterns and Their Large-Scale Distortions in Marangoni Convection with Insoluble Surfactant

Nonlinear dynamics of patterns near the threshold of long-wave monotonic Marangoni instability of conductive state in a heated thin layer of liquid covered by insoluble surfactant is considered. Pattern selection between roll and square planforms is analyzed. The dependence of pattern stability on the heat transfer from the free surface of the liquid characterized by Biot number and the gravity described by Galileo number at different surfactant concentrations is studied. Using weakly nonlinear analysis, we derive a set of amplitude equations governing the large-scale roll distortions in the presence of the surface deformation and the surfactant redistribution. These equations are used for the linear analysis of modulational instability of stationary rolls.

Stability of a thin viscoelastic film falling down an inclined plane

We study the long-wave instability of a falling film of the Oldroyd-B fluid. The weighted residual method is adopted to model the film dynamics in both linear and nonlinear regimes. The mechanism of the viscoelastic effect on the instability is explored within the framework of the Whitham wave hierarchy theory. We further analyze the film evolution and the traveling waves by means of nonlinear simulations.

Long-wave instability in thin heated films doped with soluble surfactants

Derived in this paper are evolution equations for the thickness and surface surfactant concentration pertaining to a thin liquid layer that is laden with a soluble surfactant as it flows under the influence of gravity down a heated incline. These equations account for variations in surface tension with surfactant concentration and temperature. A linear stability analysis and numerical simulations are carried out and discussed. An expression for the critical Reynolds number has been obtained and includes both thermocapillary and solutocapillary effects. The linear stability analysis was found to be in harmony with the nonlinear numerical simulations. A comparison with a weighted residual model also revealed good agreement.

Interfacial phase change effect on a viscous falling film having odd viscosity down an inclined plane

We investigate the phase change effect at the thin film interface with broken time-reversal-symmetry falling down an inclined flat wall. We consider the impact of evaporation and as well as condensation at the fluid-vapor interface separately. The non-zero odd part of the Cauchy stress tensor with the odd viscosity coefficient, which arises due to broken-time-reversal-symmetry, adds an attractive characteristic in the flow by stabilizing the effect of evaporation/condensation. We study the long-wave instabilities of the ununiform film by deriving a non-linear evolution equation in the classical long wave expansion method framework. The one-equation model can track the free surface evolution and accounts for viscosity, gravity, surface tension, and phase change (evaporation/condensation) effects. Linear stability analysis confirms that the odd viscosity has no significant impact on the instability threshold of an evaporating film as a contrast of condensate film, where the critical Reynolds number increases with the odd-viscosity parameter μ. While studying the weakly non-linear waves, we use the method of multiple scales to obtain the Complex Ginzburg Landau equation that shows both supercritical and subcritical solutions are possible for evaporating and condensate film. Interestingly, while one subcritical region is visible for an evaporating film, two subcritical unstable regions are found for condensate film. The numerical solution of the free-surface equation illustrates the finite-amplitude behavior that tends to dry out for evaporating film and rapidly increase film thickness for condensate film. The presence of odd viscosity slows down both the film thinning process for evaporation and the film thickening process for condensation. Furthermore, odd-viscosity cannot prevent film rupture in case of evaporation.

Controlling of longwave oscillatory Marangoni patterns on a rhombic lattice

We apply nonlinear feedback control to govern the stability of long-wave oscillatory Marangoni patterns. We focus on the patterns caused by instability in thin liquid film heated from below with a deformable free surface. This instability emerges in the case of substrate of low thermal conductivity, when two monotonic long-wave instabilities, Pearson’s and deformational ones, are coupled. We provide weakly nonlinear analysis within the amplitude equations, which govern the evolution of the layer thickness and the temperature deviation. The action of the nonlinear feedback control on the nonlinear interaction of two standing waves is investigated. It is shown that quadratic feedback control can produce additional stable structures (standing rolls, standing squares and standing rectangles), which are subject to instability leading to traveling wave in the uncontrolled case.

Thermocapillary instabilities in a liquid layer subjected to an oblique temperature gradient

Abstract

Thermocapillary instabilities in a liquid layer subjected to an oblique temperature gradient: Effect of a prescribed normal temperature gradient at the substrate

We consider thermocapillary instability in a three-dimensional liquid layer with a deformable interface with an ambient gas phase and subjected to an oblique temperature gradient when the temperature gradient at the substrate is prescribed. We demonstrate that this configuration leads to a drastic change in the instability features with respect to those emerging when either a purely vertical temperature gradient (VTG) or a purely horizontal temperature gradient (HTG) is present. In the case of the return flow as the base state, the spanwise long-wave instability mode dominates except for the range of small Bond numbers Bo. Slippage at the substrate has a stabilizing (destabilizing) effect on streamwise (spanwise) long-wave modes in the presence of a HTG. In the case of linear flow as the base state, both streamwise and spanwise long-wave modes play a major role in the instability onset depending on the ratio between the HTG and the VTG η for higher values of the capillary number Ca, e.g., Ca > 0.001. However, for lower values of Ca, e.g., Ca < 0.001, streamwise and spanwise instability modes become finite-waves at large η. In contrast to the return flow, for the linear flow, slippage at the substrate destabilizes both long-wave modes.

Long-wave instabilities in the SQG model with two boundaries

ABSTRACT Surface quasi-geostrophic (SQG) flows with a much larger horizontal scale than the Rossby radius of deformation are considered. A new version of the SQG model with two boundaries, which is reduced to a nonlinear system of partial differential equations, is proposed to describe the dynamics of such flows. This system describes the interaction between the barotropic and baroclinic components of the stream function and generalises the two-dimensional Euler equations for flows with a vertical velocity shear. The laws of conservation of both total and surface potential energies, which follow from this system, have been formulated. The solutions of a number of problems in the theory of baroclinic instability, which are in agreement with already known solutions, have been obtained within the framework of this system. It is shown that vertical shear flows are absolutely unstable, i.e. their instability is independent of the horizontal velocity profile structure. A generalised system of the SQG model equations, which additionally takes into account the β-effect and the Ekman bottom friction, has also been proposed. The transformation of jet flows due to the bottom friction and the influence of the β-effect on the stability of shear flows have been studied based on this system.

Microscopic and long-wave instabilities in 3D fiber composites with non-Gaussian hyperelastic phases

We investigate the microscopic and long-wave (or macroscopic) instabilities in fiber composites (FCs) with hyperelastic phases. To study the influence of the phase stiffening behavior, we employ the phase constitutive models that are developed based on the non-Gaussian statistics of polymeric molecular chains. These non-Gaussian models accurately predict the non-linear behavior of soft materials. Moreover, they can capture the essential soft material stiffening behavior arising due to the finite extensibility of the polymer chains. In turn, the non-linear behavior of the composite phases significantly influences the elastic instabilities and the buckling patterns. Here, we illustrate the phenomenon by the example of FCs with Gent phases. We derive an explicit closed-form expression – in terms of the phase properties and composition – for the onset of long-wave instabilities. To predict the onset of finite length scale (or microscopic) instabilities, we employ the Bloch-Floquet analysis superimposed on finite deformations. We find that the matrix stiffening behavior stabilizes the composites, and can even result in an absolutely stable scenario. Remarkably, Gent FCs with identical phase stiffening characteristics are found to be more stable than their neo-Hookean counterparts for morphologies at which the microscopic instabilities are to develop first. The stiffening behavior of the phases dictates the interplay between the long-wave and microscopic instabilities, and defines the wavelength of the buckling patterns. Thus, the pre-designed phase properties can be used in tailoring the instability-induced patterns in soft fiber composites.

Long internal ring waves in a two-layer fluid with an upper-layer current

We consider a two-layer fluid with a depth-dependent upper-layer current (e.g. a river inflow, an exchange flow in a strait, or a wind-generated current). In the rigid-lid approximation, we find the necessary singular solution of the nonlinear first-order ordinary differential equation responsible for the adjustment of the speed of the long interfacial ring wave in different directions in terms of the hypergeometric function. This allows us to obtain an analytical description of the wavefronts and vertical structure of the ring waves for a large family of the current profiles and to illustrate their dependence on the density jump and the type and the strength of the current. In the limiting case of a constant upper-layer current we obtain a 2D ring waves' analogue of the long-wave instability criterion for plane interfacial waves. On physical level, the presence of instability for a sufficiently strong current manifests itself already in the stable regime in the squeezing of the wavefront of the interfacial ring wave in the direction of the current. We show that similar phenomenon can also take place for other, depth-dependent currents in the family.

Influence of an External Perpendicular Oscillation on Stability of a Vertical Falling Liquid Film

A vertical falling Newtonian liquid film flow is inherently unstable to surficial long-wave disturbances. Imposing external oscillation can stabilize the long-wave instability, but also triggers additional parametric instabilities. The effect of oscillation frequency on the stability is subtle. By using the “viscosity-gravity” scaling, the effect of oscillation frequency on the stability can be investigated exhaustively by separating it from other control parameters. In this paper, the effects of external perpendicular oscillation on the stability of a vertical falling liquid film are then investigated by a combination of linear stability analyses based on Floquet theory and numerical simulations with an unsteady weighted residual model (WRM). The linear analyses show that, increasing oscillation amplitude always has a stabilizing effect on the long-wave instability. On the other hand, increasing or decreasing oscillation frequency can suppress the long-wave instability, depending on whether the oscillation amplitude or the acceleration is fixed. The effect of varying oscillation frequency on the long-wave instability is opposite to that on the parametric instabilities. The long-wave and parametric instabilities compete with each other as the oscillation amplitude and frequency are varied with the Reynolds number fixed. A weakness of the long-wave instability always accompanies enhancements of the parametric instabilities, and vice versa. As a contrast, an increase of Reynolds number always results in more unstable long-wave and parametric instabilities. The numerical simulations with the WRM show that the wave amplitudes and the minimal local thickness of film are proportional to the unstable wavenumbers range rather than the growth rate of the instability. For a given oscillation frequency and Reynolds number, there exist a critical oscillation amplitude above which externally imposed oscillations perpendicular to the transversal direction of the film can also trigger a chaotic behavior in the film, just like what happens in the case where the oscillation is parallel to the stream-wise direction of the film.