Viscous flow regimes in unit square: Part 3. Phenomena of leapfrogging and approaching among multiple vortex pairs

Abstract

In the present note, we solved numerically the viscous vorticity equation of the initial-boundary value problem describing the classic Helmholtz phenomena of vortex interaction. In the leapfrogging of vortex pairs, we demonstrate the fact that there exists a variety of initial vortex configurations, such as the initial vortex core structures, the starting speeds, the lateral and longitudinal separations as well as the fluid viscosity. To simulate leapfrogging appears to be a straightforward task, based on the vorticity calculations for a number of initial vortices with different core structures. Indeed, the evaluation of the unsteady vortex interactions requires accurate numerical simulations, and the solutions are diverse and intriguing. In particular, the impact of two asymmetric approaching vortices can produce peeled-off fission vortices or cross-bred eddies of mushroom topology. Over the course of flow development, we are unable to define any unique consistent Reynolds number which may be used to classify the individual flows, because of the multiplicity of characteristic lengths and velocity scales. Our key observation is that the initial-boundary value problems of fluid motion do not necessarily imply the realization of dynamically similar flows.