Transport and Stability of a Vortex Wake
Abstract
The influence of the atmospheric environment on the transport and decay of a trailing vortex wake has been studied analytically and experimentally during a two-year long research program. An analytical model describing the descending motion of an entraining wake in a stably stratified atmosphere has been developed. This model was compared with several other recent theoretical analyses and with limited experimental observations in order to determine the validity. A flight test program was carried out in which the smoke-marked vortices behind a lightplane were observed in an atmosphere of measured turbulence and stratification. The descending motion of the wake was also measured, as was the vortex spacing during the descent. The results of these tests are compared with those of some small-scale model experiments and of some large aircraft flight tests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 17, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0742305
Entities
People
- Ivar H. Tombach