Boundary-layer stability on rotating disks and cones
In this presentation I will describe the motivations for studying, both theoretically and experimentally, the stability of the rotating-disk boundary-layer flow, the results of these studies and how they relate to the onset of transition from laminar to turbulent flow. These studies have led to other investigations of related rotation-induced boundary-layer flows, such as Ekman and Boedewadt layers and rotating-cone and sphere boundary layers, as well as the effects of suction and injection at the disk surface and the behaviour of a range of swept (but non-rotating) boundary-layers, such as the Falkner-Skan-Cooke family of flows. Here, I will describe results to date and planned future work to elucidate these instability and transition mechanisms further.