Paper 2, Section II, B

Fluid Dynamics II
Part II, 2014

Air is blown over the surface of a large, deep reservoir of water in such a way as to exert a tangential stress in the xx-direction of magnitude Kx2K x^{2} for x>0x>0, with K>0K>0. The water is otherwise at rest and occupies the region y>0y>0. The surface y=0y=0 remains flat.

Find order-of-magnitude estimates for the boundary-layer thickness δ(x)\delta(x) and tangential surface velocity U(x)U(x) in terms of the relevant physical parameters.

Using the boundary-layer equations, find the ordinary differential equation governing the dimensionless function ff defined in the streamfunction

ψ(x,y)=U(x)δ(x)f(η), where η=y/δ(x)\psi(x, y)=U(x) \delta(x) f(\eta), \quad \text { where } \eta=y / \delta(x)

What are the boundary conditions on ff ?

Does f0f \rightarrow 0 as η\eta \rightarrow \infty ? Why, or why not?

The total horizontal momentum flux P(X)P(X) across the vertical line x=Xx=X is proportional to XaX^{a} for X>0X>0. Find the exponent aa. By considering the steadiness of the momentum balance in the region 0<x<X0<x<X, explain why the value of aa is consistent with the form of the stress exerted on the boundary.