Stability of the Kolmogorov flow and its modifications

Abstract

Recurrence formulas are obtained for the kth term of the long wavelength asymptotics in the stability problem for general two-dimensional viscous incompressible shear flows. It is shown that the eigenvalues of the linear eigenvalue problem are odd functions of the wave number, while the critical values of viscosity are even functions. If the velocity averaged over the long period is nonzero, then the loss of stability is oscillatory. If the averaged velocity is zero, then the loss of stability can be monotone or oscillatory. If the deviation of the velocity from its period-average value is an odd function of spatial variable about some x₀, then the expansion coefficients of the velocity perturbations are even functions about x₀ for even powers of the wave number and odd functions about for x₀ odd powers of the wave number, while the expansion coefficients of the pressure perturbations have an opposite property. In this case, the eigenvalues can be found precisely. As a result, the monotone loss of stability in the Kolmogorov flow can be substantiated by a method other than those available in the literature.