GROWTH OF LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURES IN 2-DIMENSIONAL MIXING LAYERS

A simple analytic model based on experimental data is presented for th e growth of large scale structures and the mass inflow into them in tw o-dimensional incompressible mixing layers. The model draws on the exp erimental evidence for persistent large scale structures in the nonlin ear phase of mixing layer development. The results are compared with p revious work and with time dependent numerical simulations of mixing l ayer development using an array of point vortices. Both the simulation s and previous results provide reasonable agreement with the model. (C ) 1997 American Institute of Physics.