Abstract
We study symmetry breaking in a meridional steady motion of viscous incompressible fluids by considering the case of a laminar axisymmetric ''vortex dynamo.'' Using a linear and subsequently a nonlinear analysis we demonstrate the feasibility of a supercritical pitchfork birfurcation from an initially ''trivial'' nonswirling flow solution to one with a steady (clockwise or counterclockwise) swirling regime as the Reynolds number exceeds a critical value. This agrees with recent experimental results for a flow inside a conical meniscus, as observed in electrosprays.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2881-2886 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Physical Review E |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1994 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
- Statistics and Probability
- Condensed Matter Physics