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On the origin of streamwise vortices in a turbulent boundary layer. (English) Zbl 0624.76069
Several experiments have suggested that streamwise vortices, with their accompanying low-momentum streaks in a turbulent boundary layer have a characteristic spanwise wavelength of approximately $$\lambda_ z^+=100$$. Here a mechanism is proposed which selects a comparable spanwise wavelength and produces counter-rotating streamwise vortices in a turbulent boundary layer. Examining the equations which describe the deviation of the velocity field from its time-average, it is found that a resonance is associated with the mean-velocity profile. As an integral part of this resonance, there is a mean secondary flow which has a spanwise wavelength $$\lambda^+_ z=90$$ and whose velocities exhibit a streamwise vortex structure similar to those observed.

##### MSC:
 76F99 Turbulence 76M99 Basic methods in fluid mechanics
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##### References:
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