Paper 4, Section II, C

Fluid Dynamics
Part IB, 2016

(a) Show that for an incompressible fluid, ×ω=2u\nabla \times \boldsymbol{\omega}=-\nabla^{2} \mathbf{u}, where ω\boldsymbol{\omega} is the flow vorticity,

(b) State the equation of motion for an inviscid flow of constant density in a rotating frame subject to gravity. Show that, on Earth, the local vertical component of the centrifugal force is small compared to gravity. Present a scaling argument to justify the linearisation of the Euler equations for sufficiently large rotation rates, and hence deduce the linearised version of the Euler equations in a rapidly rotating frame.

(c) Denoting the rotation rate of the frame as Ω=Ωez\boldsymbol{\Omega}=\Omega \mathbf{e}_{z}, show that the linearised Euler equations may be manipulated to obtain an equation for the velocity field u\mathbf{u} in the form

22ut2+4Ω22uz2=0\frac{\partial^{2} \nabla^{2} \mathbf{u}}{\partial t^{2}}+4 \Omega^{2} \frac{\partial^{2} \mathbf{u}}{\partial z^{2}}=\mathbf{0}

(d) Assume that there exist solutions of the form u=U0exp[i(kxωt)]\mathbf{u}=\mathbf{U}_{0} \exp [i(\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}-\omega t)]. Show that ω=±2Ωcosθ\omega=\pm 2 \Omega \cos \theta where the angle θ\theta is to be determined.