A non-linear theory for oscillations in a parallel flow

Abstract

Three-dimensional periodic oscillations in the shear flow region between two parallel streams are considered up to that second order of the oscillation amplitude. It is shown that, as an integral part of the oscillation, there is a mean secondary flow in the nature of a longitudinal vortex. Despite the dissimilarity in the profile of the basic flows, several of the principal features of the calculated results can be compared with those observed for the Blasius flow by Schubauer and Klebanoff & Tidstrom at the National Bureau of Standards.