The stability of Kelvin-Stuart cat's eye flows

Zhiwu Lin (GATECH, Atlanta)

Apr 12. 2023, 15:15 — 16:00

Kelvin-Stuart vortices are classical mixing layer flows with many applications in fluid mechanics, plasma physics and planetary rings. We prove that the whole family of Kelvin-Stuart vortices is nonlinearly stable for co-periodic perturbations, and linearly unstable for multi-periodic or modulational perturbations. Kelvin-Stuart cat's eyes also appear as magnetic islands which are magnetostatic equilibria for the 2D ideal MHD equations in plasmas. We prove nonlinear stability of these magnetic islands for co-periodic perturbations, and give a rigorous proof of the coalescence instability.

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Further Information
Venue:
ESI Boltzmann Lecture Hall
Recordings:
Recording
Associated Event:
The Dynamics of Planetary-scale Fluid Flows (Thematic Programme)
Organizer(s):
Adrian Constantin (U of Vienna)
David Dritschel (U of St Andrews)
Nathan Paldor (HU of Jerusalem)