Near critical phenomena in laminar boundary layers

Asymptotic analysis of boundary layer separation in the limit of large Reynolds number Re→∞Re→∞ has shown that in a number of cases which are of importance from a practical point of view solutions of the resulting interaction equations describing two-dimensional (2-D) steady flows exist up to a limiting value ΓcΓc of the relevant controlling parameter ΓΓ only while two branches of solutions exist in a regime Γ<ΓcΓ<Γc. The present study aims at a better understanding of near critical flows |Γ-Γc|→0|Γ-Γc|→0 and in particular the changes of the flow behaviour associated with the passage of ΓΓ through ΓcΓc.