Vortex flows normal to a flat surface

Abstract

Numerical results of axisymmetric vortex flows normal to a flat surface are presented for a variety of Reynolds numbers. The results are based on an extension of Prandtl's boundary layer theory, which permits a reduction of the Navier-Stokes equations to an ordinary boundary value problem that is transformed to a set of nonlinear Volterra integral equations. The solutions are compared with phenomena observed in hurricanes.