On the motion due to sources and sinks distributed along the vertical boundary of a rotating fluid

Abstract

The motion induced by sources and sinks distributed along the vertical side wall of a cylinder filled with fluid and rotating about a vertical axis is considered. Vertical motion, and hence vertical transport, is confined to a vertical boundary layer of thicknessE^1/3, whereEis the Ekman number. The horizontal transport occurs through the interior of the fluid. The Ekman layers do not play any active role in the transport process. The results of a very simple experiment confirm these conclusions.