Singularities in solutions of the three-dimensional laminar-boundary-layer equations

The three-dimensional steady laminar-boundary-layer equations have been cast in the appropriate form for semisimilar solutions, and it is shown that in this form they have the same structure as the semisimilar form of the two-dimensional unsteady laminar-boundary-layer equations. This similarity suggests that there may be a new type of singularity in solutions to the three-dimensional equations: a singularity that is the counterpart of the Stewartson singularity in certain solutions to the unsteady boundary-layer equations. A family of simple three-dimensional laminar boundary-layer flows has been devised and numerical solutions for the development of these flows have been obtained in an effort to discover and investigate the new singularity. The numerical results do indeed indicate the existence of such a singularity. A study of the flow approaching the singularity indicates that the singularity is associated with the domain of influence of the flow for given initial (upstream) conditions as is prescribed by the Raetz influence principle.