Abstract
THE development of flow visualisation techniques1,2 has prompted a renewal of interest in investigating the dynamics of turbulent boundary layers. The discovery that turbulence is generated intermittently, in “bursts”3, near the wall, is of particular significance. It has also been found that the ejections and inrushes of fluid that accompany the bursts of turbulence generation are dominant contributors to the Reynolds stress4–6. These ejections and inrushes extend well into the flow. It follows that momentum transport in turbulent boundary layers is an intermittent process and that the intermittency is not confined to the region near the wall where most of the turbulence production takes place.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kline, S. J., Reynolds, W. C., Schraub, F. A., and Runstadler, P. W., J. Fluid Mech., 30, 741–773 (1967).
Corino, E. R., and Brodkey, R. S., J. Fluid Mech., 37, 1–30 (1969).
Kim, H. T., Kline, S. J., and Reynolds, W. C., J. Fluid Mech., 50, 133–160 (1971).
Grass, A. J., J. Fluid Mech., 50, 233–255 (1971).
Willmarth, W. W., and Lu, S. S., J. Fluid Mech., 55, 65–92 (1972).
Wallace, J. M., Eckelmann, H., and Brodkey, R. S., J. Fluid Mech., 54, 39–48 (1972).
Mollo-Christensen, E., A. Rev. Fluid Mech., 5, 101–118 (1973).
Dorman, C. E., and Mollo-Christensen, E., J. phys. Oceanogr., 3, 120–132 (1973).
Gordon, C. M., and Dohne, C. F., J. geophys. Res., 78, 1971–1977 (1973).
Gordon, C. M., and Dohne, C. F., in Ocean 73, 46–49 (IEEE, Inc., New York, 1973).
Corrsin, S., Phys. Fluids, 15, 341 (1973).
Rao, N. K., Narasimha, R., and Badri Narayanan, M. A., J. Fluid Mech., 48, 339–352 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GORDON, C. Intermittent momentum transport in a geophysical boundary layer. Nature 248, 392–394 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/248392a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/248392a0
This article is cited by
-
Sediment resuspension in tidally dominated coastal environments: new insights into the threshold for initial movement
Ocean Dynamics (2016)
-
Experiments on resuspension of natural microphytobenthos populations
Marine Biology (1991)
-
Sea-bed noises reveal role of turbulent bursting phenomenon in sediment transport by tidal currents
Nature (1985)
-
Physical problems of the benthic boundary layer
Geophysical Surveys (1978)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.