Rimming flows within a rotating horizontal cylinder: asymptotic analysis of the thin-film lubrication equations and stability of their solutions (Q2566861)

By means of an asymptotic analysis of recently proposed ``modified lubrication equation'' (MLE) [Phys. Fluids 13, 14--19 (2000)], it is shown that the solutions of the standard cubic equation in film thickness correctly describe the film-thickness profiles, although, when shocks are involved, under exceedingly restrictive conditions. In addition, using the MLE, the linear stability of these film profiles is investigated and it is shown that the homogeneous profiles are neutrally stable to two-dimensional disturbances and unstable to axial disturbances; on the other hand, the non-homogeneous profiles are always asymptotically stable. This confirms earlier results based on standard lubrication analysis.