Nonlinear waves in three-dimensional co-current gas-liquid film flow.

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Title: Nonlinear waves in three-dimensional co-current gas-liquid film flow.
Authors: Xie, Wei1,2, Wang, Zhan1,2,3 zwang@imech.ac.cn
Source: Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 6/10/2026, Vol. 1036, p1-43. 43p.
Subjects: Nonlinear waves, Three-dimensional flow, Liquid films, Wind pressure, Gas-liquid interfaces, Flow instability, Traveling waves (Physics)
Abstract: We investigate the dynamics of a three-dimensional thin laminar liquid film flowing down an inclined plane, influenced by both gravity and wind forces. The gas phase is modelled using a quasi-laminar approximation, in which viscosity is neglected. We expand Miles' theory of wind-induced pressure, which previously focused on a one-dimensional interface, to a two-dimensional framework. From this, we derive evolution equations for the liquid film, including Benney-type and Nepomnyashchy-type models that capture the effects of wind on flow instability and wave dispersion. Our findings reveal two families of travelling-wave solutions and their bifurcation structures through numerical continuation. We analyse secondary instabilities using the centre-manifold method and Floquet theory, discovering finite-wavenumber bands in which oblique perturbations are more unstable than longitudinal ones. Based on these secondary-instability characteristics, we propose a classification framework for various flow regimes. Time-dependent numerical simulations support our predictions of secondary instabilities and reveal a range of nonlinear phenomena that occur after their onset. These phenomena include checkerboard-symmetric patterns, strip-like structures, phase-type instabilities and localised wave packets, some of which have been observed experimentally in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Fluid Mechanics is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Nonlinear waves in three-dimensional co-current gas-liquid film flow.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xie%2C+Wei%22">Xie, Wei</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Zhan%22">Wang, Zhan</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo><i> zwang@imech.ac.cn</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Fluid+Mechanics%22">Journal of Fluid Mechanics</searchLink>. 6/10/2026, Vol. 1036, p1-43. 43p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nonlinear+waves%22">Nonlinear waves</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Three-dimensional+flow%22">Three-dimensional flow</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Liquid+films%22">Liquid films</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wind+pressure%22">Wind pressure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gas-liquid+interfaces%22">Gas-liquid interfaces</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Flow+instability%22">Flow instability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Traveling+waves+%28Physics%29%22">Traveling waves (Physics)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: We investigate the dynamics of a three-dimensional thin laminar liquid film flowing down an inclined plane, influenced by both gravity and wind forces. The gas phase is modelled using a quasi-laminar approximation, in which viscosity is neglected. We expand Miles' theory of wind-induced pressure, which previously focused on a one-dimensional interface, to a two-dimensional framework. From this, we derive evolution equations for the liquid film, including Benney-type and Nepomnyashchy-type models that capture the effects of wind on flow instability and wave dispersion. Our findings reveal two families of travelling-wave solutions and their bifurcation structures through numerical continuation. We analyse secondary instabilities using the centre-manifold method and Floquet theory, discovering finite-wavenumber bands in which oblique perturbations are more unstable than longitudinal ones. Based on these secondary-instability characteristics, we propose a classification framework for various flow regimes. Time-dependent numerical simulations support our predictions of secondary instabilities and reveal a range of nonlinear phenomena that occur after their onset. These phenomena include checkerboard-symmetric patterns, strip-like structures, phase-type instabilities and localised wave packets, some of which have been observed experimentally in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Fluid Mechanics is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1017/jfm.2026.11667
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 43
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Nonlinear waves
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Three-dimensional flow
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Liquid films
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Wind pressure
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gas-liquid interfaces
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Flow instability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Traveling waves (Physics)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Nonlinear waves in three-dimensional co-current gas-liquid film flow.
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            NameFull: Xie, Wei
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            NameFull: Wang, Zhan
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            – D: 10
              M: 06
              Text: 6/10/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 1036
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Fluid Mechanics
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