The Mathematical Theory of Turbulence

Book excerpt: "I do not think at all that I am able to present here any procedure of investiga tion that was not perceived long ago by all men of talent; and I do not promise at all that you can find here anything_ quite new of this kind. But I shall take pains to state in clear words the pules and ways of investigation which are followed by ahle men, who in most cases are not even conscious of foZlow ing them. Although I am free from illusion that I shall fully succeed even in doing this, I still hope that the little that is present here may please some people and have some application afterwards. " Bernard Bolzano (Wissenschaftslehre, 1929) The following book results from aseries of lectures on the mathematical theory of turbulence delivered by the author at the Purdue University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics during the past several years, and represents, in fact, a comprehensive account of the author's work with his graduate students in this field. It was my aim in writing this book to give to engineers and scientists a mathematical feeling for a subject, which because of its nonlinear character has resisted mathematical analysis for many years. On account vii i of its refractory nature this subject was categorized as one of seven "elementary catastrophes". The material presented here is designed for a first graduate course in turbulence. The complete course has been taught in one semester.