Generation of vortices in a partially filled,rapidly rotating cylinder

We describe a system in which vortices are shed from a cylindrical free surface approximately centered in a rotating flow. Shedding is controlled by the parameter =2 g/²d, where g, , d denote gravity, rotation rate and the diameter of the free surface. We find vortex shedding for >0.162 and no vortex shedding for < 0.0847. The range depends on the aspect ratio L/d, where L is the column length, in a nonmonotonic fashion. These results are independent of viscosity and surface tension for small values of these parameters.Now at Martin Marietta, Orlando Aerospace, PO Box 5837, Mail Point 150, Orlando, FL 32855, USA