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On the net forces produced by surface‐mounted obstacles
Author(s) -
Mason P. J.,
Sykes R. I.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49710544607
Subject(s) - ekman layer , boundary layer , ekman number , mechanics , momentum (technical analysis) , vortex , flow (mathematics) , work (physics) , physics , surface (topology) , boundary (topology) , classical mechanics , geology , mathematics , geometry , mathematical analysis , thermodynamics , finance , economics
Numerical calculations of the forces involved in Ekman layer flow past three‐dimensional topography are presented. The forces are obtained from finite‐difference solutions of the Navier‐Stokes equations. The results confirm expectations from earlier two‐dimensional work that many flows produce no significant change in total momentum transfer between the fluid and the surface. Only flows generating some form of trailing vortex system appear capable of changing the total force on the lower boundary. The effects of Ekman boundary layer instabilities, and their interaction with topography, are also discussed.