Abstract: | The stability of an axisymmetric flow of viscous gas in a circular pipe, which models the Burgers vortex in the pipe axis neighborhood, is studied within the linear theory framework. Neutral curves for the most unstable disturbances are calculated. The influence of the characteristic Mach number on the flow stability is investigated. It is shown that for a given model velocity distribution the Mach number affects only the temperature and pressure profiles of the main undisturbed flow. In this case, for the disturbance types considered, as the Mach number increases, the critical Reynolds number corresponding to loss of stability decreases. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 35–41, January–February, 1999. The work received financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 96-01-00586). |