Systems of singular integral equations and applications to existence of reversed flow solutions of Falkner-Skan equations (Q1951432)

The authors consider the Falkner-Skan equation \[ \begin{aligned} & f'''(\eta) + f(\eta) f''(\eta) + \lambda [1-(f')^2(\eta)]=0 \quad \text{on} \; \eta\in (0,\infty),\\ & f(0)=f'(0)=0, \quad f'(\infty)=1. \end{aligned} \] They analytically study the existence of reversed flow solutions, that is, solutions \(f\) satisfying \(f'(\eta)<0\) for small positive values of \(\eta\) and \(f''(0)<0\). The main results in the paper show that reversed flow solutions exist for each \(\lambda \in (-1/6,0)\). Such a result is derived from the existence and properties of solutions of two singular integral equations -- which were already considered by the authors to study the nonexistence of solutions for the same problem. The authors apply their result to prove the existence of a reversed flow similarity solution to boundary layer equations derived form the Navier-Stokes equations.