UC San Diego

This thesis focuses on the stability characteristics of a momentum-less wake. Momentum-less wakes are wakes produced by self-propelled bodies and can be found in any numerous fluid flows, such as the flow behind a submarine, or fish. In this thesis we try to relate the momentum-less wake described to a wake behind a fish through specific choices in non-dimensional terms. We then look at both the temporal and spatial stability characteristics. While the temporal stability characteristics appeared to give results of interest, it appeared that the spatial stability characteristics were not as interesting. This thesis also goes into detail about two popular numerical methods of solving the Orr-Sommerfeld equation, and how to use these methods on the less common unbounded domain type flows