Lighthill transpiration velocity revisited: An exact formulation (Q1892032)

A new potential-vorticity decomposition is introduced in order to derive an exact representation of the effects of the vorticity on the external flow. It is shown that, under boundary layer assumptions, this decomposition yields an expression which is very closely related to Lighthill correction approach. It should be noted that new decomposition gives the exact effects of the rotational region on the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations. In particular, even in the case of massive separation, i.e. when the boundary layer approximation is no longer applicable, the new approach still gives the exact influence of vorticity on the external flow, as long as the vorticity is known. In order to quantify the contribution of the corrective terms which arise in the new formulation, the problem of an attached boundary layer flow over a flat plate is examined.