Oscillatory rotationally symmetric loss of stability of nonisothermal couette flow

A study is made of the stability of nonisothermal Couette flow — steady flow of a viscous heat conducting fluid between two rotating concentric cylinders heated to different temperatures. The methods of perturbation theory are used to establish conditions sufficient for bifurcation of a neutral curve of oscillatory instability from the neutral curve of monotonic instability. Computer calculations show that for certain values of the parameters of the problem these conditions are realized and there is an oscillatory loss of stability of the nonisothermal Couette flow.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 76–80, January–February, 1984.I thank V. I. Yudovich for constant interest in the work.