A New Class of Nonlinear Waves in Parallel Flows

Abstract

Waves in parallel shear flows are found to have different characteristics depending on whether nonlinear or viscous effects dominate near the critical layer. In this paper a nonlinear theory is developed which gives rise to a class of disturbances not found in the classical viscous theory. It is suggested that the modes found from such an analysis may be of importance in the breakdown of laminar flow due to free stream disturbances.