A composite Ekman boundary layer problem

The steady, axially symmetric, viscous, incompressible flow induced by an infinite rotating disk in the presence of a stationary coaxial disk is studied numerically for the complete laminar range of a Taylor number, R . Emphasis is placed on qualitative interpretation of the numerical solutions. The asymptotic state for large R is shown to consist of two well-known special Ekman boundary layers on the disks which are linked by a Taylor column, with Ekman layer suction into one layer just balanced by axial outflow from the other layer. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1968.tb00409.x