Selected Papers of J. M, Burgers TECHNISCHEmnvB^re? laboratorium voor Scheepshydromechanlca Archief Mekerweg CD Delft

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2 Selected Papers of J. M, Burgers TECHNISCHEmnvB^re? laboratorium voor Scheepshydromechanlca Archief Mekerweg CD Delft ^^"^'^ m FèJC 015 ^ F. T. M. Nieuwstadt Department of Mechanical Engineering and Maritime Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and J. A. Steketee Department of Aero and Space Engineering, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands Technology, 4«KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS DORDRECHT / BOSTON / LONDON

3 A C.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN Published by Kluwer Academic Publishers, P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Kluwer Academic Publishers incorporates the publishing programmes of D. Reidel, Martinus Nijhoff, Dr W. Junk and MTP Press. Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada by Kluwer Academic Publishers. 101 Philip Drive, Norwell, MA 02061, U.S.A. In all other countries, sold and distributed by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, P.O. Box 322,3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Printed on acid-free paper All Rights Reserved 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner. Printed in the Netherlands

4 Preface By the beginning of this century, the vital role of fluid mechanics in engineering science and technological progress was clearly recognised. In 1918, following an international trend, the University of Technology in Delft established a chair in fluid dynamics, and we can still admire the wisdom of the committee which appointed the young theoretical physicist, J.M. Burgers, at the age of 23, to this position within the department of Mechanical Engineering, Naval architecture and Electrical Engineering. The consequences of this appointment were to be far-reaching. J.M. Burgers went on to become one of the leading figures in the field of fluid mechanics: a giant on whose shoulders the Dutch fluid mechanics community still stands. It is therefore scarcely surprising that the recently established Dutch research school on fluid mechanics should bear the name "J.M. Burgers Centre". The work of J.M. Burgers has been influential in many areas of fluid mechanics and his papers are still firequently quoted, usually in the context of an equation or result to which his name became attached. Up to 1955 when he left for the USA to build a new scientific career, J.M. Burgers published most of his scientific work in the Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences, of which he was a distinguished member. Sadly, these publications are difficult to obtain through the usual library channels, and as a result the work of J.M. Burgers has been frequently misquoted or, worse still, reference to it omitted. Against this background and to celebrate the centenary of his birth, the editors decided to select and reissue those of his papers considered to contain his most important work up to It is hoped that in this way his work, and in particular the papers with the results that still bear his name, will become accessible to a wider audience. This selection and the bibliography of all publications to which the name of J.M. Burgers is attached will give the reader an insight into the breadth and depth of J.M. Burgers' work. The editors will be happy to answer any queries or to provide information about any of these publications. Apart from being a brilliant scientist J.M. Burgers' interest and involvement in other areas of human endeavour are revealed in the impressive and lively

5 vi J.M. Burgers correspondence he conducted with specialists in many fields. Evidence of this is contained in the biography published in this book. Fortunately, J.M. Burgers was well-organised and kept copies of all letters. Both in Maryland, his second scientific home, and in Delft these letters have been archived and they make fascinating reading for all interested in the man J.M. Burgers, and in the era in which he lived. We are very happy to be able to publish this tribute to the great scientist, J.M. Burgers, to mark the centenary of his birth on 13 January 1895, and are grateful to for the stinmlation and encouragement by many colleagues to undertake the editing of this book. In particular we are indebted to the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences for its permission to reprint the work of J.M. Burgers. Fiuther, for the generous contributions which have made publication of this book possible, the editors wish to express appreciation to the following companies and institutes: Akzo Nobel, J.M. Burgers Centre, Fokker, Gasunie, Hoogovens Groep BV, Hydraulics Laboratory, National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management/RIKZ, NLR, Philips, Shell Nederland B.V., Stork Ketels, TNO-M&E, TNO-PML, TNO-TPD, Unilever and the Pieter Zeeman Fonds. The editors F.T.M. Nieuwstadt J.A Steketee Delft, October 12, 1994

6 Table of Contents Biography xi A Youth in Arnhem xii B Study in Leiden xiii C Tliesis in Haarlem xvi D Appointment in Delft xviii E Professor in Delft xx E.l Laboratories and Staff xxi E.2 Teaching and Students xxiv E.3 Experimental Work xxvii E.4 Theoretical Work xxx E.4.1 Resistance in Flows xxxii E.4.2 Turbulence xxxiv E.4.3 Rheology xxxix E.4.4 Suspensions xli E.4.5 Compressible Aerodynamics and Gas Dynamics xh E. 5 'Applied' Work xlii E.5.1 Aeronautics xliv E.5.2 Hydrauhcs xuv E.5.3 Ventilation xlv E.5.4 Windmills xlvi F Connections around the World xlviii F. l Conferences and Correspondence around the World 1 F. 2 Communism and Russia liv G Concerns about Society and Career Iviii G. l Society Iviij G.2 Career Ixü vii

7 H A New Life in the New World H.l JMB and the USA H. 2 Professor in Maryland I A Passionate Man Ll A Broad Mind I. 2 A Peculiar Character 1.3 An Inconiprehcnded Philosopher Science L3.2 Life J JMB in Present-day Science J.l The Burgers Equation J.2 The Burgers Vector J.3 The Burgers Element or Body J.4 The Burgers Vortex Acknowledgements Bibliography Selected Papers "On the resistance experienced by a fluid in turbulent motion" "Preliminary measurements of the distribution of the velocity of a fluid in the immediate neighbourhood of a plane, smooth surface" "On Oseen's theory for the approximate determination of the flow of a fluid with very small friction along a body" "On the application of Oseen's hydrodynamical equations to the problem of the shpstream from an ideal propeller" "On the application of statistical mechanics to the theory of turbulent fluid motion. I, II, HI" "On the application of Oseen's theory to the determination of the friction experienced by an infinitely thin flat plate" "On the application of statistical mechanics to the theory of turbulent fluid motion. IV, V, VI, VII" "Introductory remarks on recent investigations concerning the structure of liquids" "On the motion of small particles of elongated form, suspended in a viscous liquid"

8 Selected Papers "Mathematical examples illustrating relations occurring in the theory of turbulent fluid motion" 281 "Some considerations on the fields of stress connected with dislocations in a regular crystal lattice. I, II" 335 "Application of a model system to illustrate some points of the statistical theory of free turbulence" 390 " On the application of viscosity data to the determination of the shape of protein molecules in solution" 401 "Some considerations on the development of boundfu-y layers in the case of flows having a rotational component" 429 " On the distinction between irregular- and systematic motion in diffusion problems" 442 " On the influence of the concentration of a suspension upon the sedimentation velocity (in particular for a suspension of spherical particles)" 452 " On the transmission of sound waves through a shock wave" 478 "Some problems of the motion of interstellar gas clouds. I, II" 487 " Aerodynamical problems suggested by a case of motion of interstellar gas clouds/aerodynamical problems connected with the motion of a cloud of gas emitted by Nova Persei. I, II, III" 506 " Cases of motion in a gas with non colliding molecules" 533 "On the influence of gravity upon the expansion of a gas. I, II" 544 "Damped oscillations of a spherical mass of an elastic fluid" 562 " Note on the damping of the rotational oscillation of a spherical mass of an elastic fluid in consequence of slipping along the boundary" 572 "The formation of vortex sheets in a simplifled type of turbulent motion" 579 "On homogeneous non-isotropic turbulence connected with a mean motion having a constant velocity gradient. I, II" 591 "Rotational motion of a sphere subject to visco-ela-stic deformation. I, II, III" 611 "On the problem of the postglacial uplift of Fennoscandia. I, II" 630