Structure of Turbulence in Boundary Layers

Publisher Summary This chapter presents fundamental topics that are necessary for a better understanding of turbulent structure. In the absence of a viable theory for turbulent structure, the chapter concentrates upon a summary of the results of recent experimental research. Modern experimental investigations employing sophisticated flow visualization and computer-aided data processing techniques have revealed a large amount of new information. These new results are discussed and the nature of existing theoretical investigations is mentioned. The chapter presents an excellent review of the physics of turbulent flow and includes a detailed discussion of the transition process. It also deals with the structure of the fluctuating turbulent flow field. In boundary layer flows, the nature and structure of the flow are controlled by the vorticity that is produced by the passage of initially irrotational fluid over the wall. Vorticity considerations illuminate the detailed development of the boundary layer just as clearly as momentum considerations and allow a compact description of the dynamics of turbulence.