Some bifurcation diagrams for Taylor vortex flows

Abstract

The numerical continuation and bifurcation methods of Keller [H. B. Keller, in Applications of Bifurcation Theory (Academic, New York, 1977), pp. 359–384] are used to study the variation of some branches of axisymmetric Taylor vortex flow as the wavelength in the axial direction changes. Closed ‘‘loops’’ of solutions and secondary bifurcations are determined. Variations with respect to Reynolds number show the same phenomena. The results presented here show that Taylor vortices with periodic boundary conditions exist in a wider range of wavelengths, λ, than observed in the Burkhalter/Koschmieder experiments [Phys. Fluids 17, 1929 (1974)]. They also show that there is possibly a λ subinterval within the neutral curve of Couette flow such that there are no Taylor vortex flows with smallest period in this interval.