Horseshoe vortices in inhomogeneous flows

Resumo

The formation of a horseshoe-shaped vortex from an initial straight cylindrical vortex occurring in the viscous layer of a retarding fluid flow in a channel with a nonuniform cross section is studied experimentally. The spatial bends of the vortex filament and the effect of the ambient fluid pressure first form an arch with supports at the bottom of the channel, then a horseshoe-shaped vortex, and finally a circular vortex with the destruction of the supports.