The stability of a viscous fluid between rotating cylinders with an axial flow

The stability of viscous flow between rotating cylinders with an axial flow has been investigated theoretically by Goldstein (1937), Chandrasekhar (1960, 1962), and Di Prima (1960); and experimentally by Cornish (1933), Fage (1938), Kaye & Elgar (1957), Donnelly & Fultz (1960) and Snyder (1962 a ). As was pointed out by Di Prima (1960) there were a number of discrepancies in the early work of the 1930's which were clarified in part by the papers of the 1960's. In turn, there appear to be certain small detailed differences in the more recent papers. In part it is these differences with which the present paper is concerned. In addition, the results of the previous theoretical investigations which are limited to the case in which the cylinders rotate in the same direction, are extended to the case of counter rotation.