Growth of perturbations in density stratified plane shear flow

What is it about?

A disturbance in shear flow can grow for a short while even if there are no exponential instabilities. When stable stratification is known to exist, vertical displacement of fluid is inhibited. We examine how much a disturbance can gain in energy in such a stably stratified shear flow.

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Why is it important?

We show a buoyancy dominated forcing during the initial stages of the perturbation evolution. Sources of buoyancy are therefore shown to be just as capable as exciting perturbations that can grow transiently.