Electrohydrodynamic instability of two superposed fluids in normal electric fields (Q675989)

We consider the linear stability of two unbounded fluids that are separated by a plane interface, and stressed by initially perpendicular uniform electric field. On each side of the interface there is a Couette flow. The fluids have different viscosities, densities, and electrical properties, and surface tension acts at the interface. The linear stability of the flow is analyzed by deriving the exact dispersion relation in terms of the Airy functions and their integrals, and solving it numerically and asymptotically to find marginal stability curves.