COMPUTER SIMULATIONS OF VORTICITY FIELD-CURVED SURFACE INTERACTIONS BY THE METHOD OF POINT VORTICES.

Computer simulation study applying discrete vortex dynamics provided important insights into vorticity field-curved surface interactions. Innovative computer experimentation methods are used to study convective vortex patterns. Three basic types of simulation of the shear layer vortex-surface interactions are considered. In each case well developed vortices are simulated by discrete vortices. In computer generated patterns of these types of vortical fields, configurations of single row of point vortices; finite area point vortex clusters; and single layer point vortices are employed. An assessment of the vorticity field-curved surface interaction is studied with an inviscid flow formulation about an ellipse. Vortex trajectories are computed using potential theory. The resulting vortex data then are automatically encoded in color, with various colors representing each discrete vortex, and consequent time dependent vortex motion is animated on the computer screen so as to study the details of the interaction phenomena.