Bulletin of the American Physical Society
71st Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics
Volume 63, Number 13
Sunday–Tuesday, November 18–20, 2018; Atlanta, Georgia
Session B38: Awards Session: Presentation of Awards and DFD Fellowships (Otto LaPorte Lecture, Stanley Corrsin Award, Francois Frenkiel Award, Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award)
10:20 AM–12:25 PM,
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Georgia World Congress Center
Room: Thomas Murphy Ballroom
Chair: Eckart Meiburg, University of Califonia, Santa Barbara, Satish Kumar, University of Minnesota, S. Balachandar, University of Florida
Abstract ID: BAPS.2018.DFD.B38.2
Abstract: B38.00002 : Otto LaPorte Lecture: Singularities in Fluid Dynamics
10:55 AM–11:40 AM
Presenter:
Keith Moffatt
(Univ of Cambridge)
Author:
Keith Moffatt
(Univ of Cambridge)
Singularities of the Navier-Stokes equations occur when some (possibly high-order) derivative of the velocity field is infinite at any point of a field of flow (or, in an evolving flow, becomes infinite at any point within a finite time). Such singularities can be mathematical but unphysical (as e.g. in two-dimensional flow near a sharp corner) in which case they can be 'resolved' by improving the physical model considered; or they can be physical but non-mathematical (as e.g. in the case of cusp singularities at a fluid/fluid interface) in which case resolution of the singularity may involve incorporation of additional physical effects; such examples will be briefly reviewed. The 'finite-time singularity problem' for the Navier-Stokes equations will then be discussed and a new analytical approach will be presented; here it will be shown that there is indeed a singularity of the 'physical but non-mathematical' type, in that, at sufficiently high Reynolds number, vorticity can be amplified by an arbitrarily large factor within a finite time. In this case, the singularity is resolved by three-dimensional vortex reconnection in a manner that admits analytical description. Implications for turbulence will be presented. [Part of this work has been in collaboration with Yoshifumi Kimura.]
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2018.DFD.B38.2
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