On the stability of a shear layer

Abstract

The effects of density variation in the absence of gravity on the stability of a horizontal shear layer between two streams of uniform velocities is investigated. The density is assumed to decrease exponentially with height and the velocity is represented by U(y) = tanh y.The method of small disturbances is employed to obtain the neutral stability curve. It is demonstrated that disturbances with wave-numbers larger than the width of the transition layer are attenuated.Qualitative agreement with experimental evidence is obtained.