Essential Fluid Dynamics - For scientists

A rudimentary but thorough understanding of fluid mechanics is essential for students and researchers in many branches of science. This book introduces the subject, illustrating its fundamental principles with a variety of examples drawn mainly from astrophysics and geophysics as well as from everyday experience. In this way, the student develops an intuitive understanding that can then be applied in other contexts. For instance, reference is made to the hydraulic shock formed as water from a tap spreads out across the surface of a wash basin, making a connection to the phenomenon of astrophysical shocks.

The content of the book is as follows: A derivation of the basic equations is followed by discussions of the properties of these equations and related phenomena. This includes steady and unsteady flow, Bernoulli’s equation and the function of aerofoils; sub- and supersonic flow and compressibility; jets, nozzles, accretion and stellar winds; various waves and instabilities; viscosity; shocks; vorticity and rotating fluids. The last two chapters are a self-contained introduction to magnetohydrodynamics and some relevant astrophysical contexts. Note that in contrast to texts aimed at engineers, there is only a brief discussion here of the interaction of fluids with solids, for instance of boundary layers and pipe flow; students interested in designing turbines or fighter planes will therefore need to do some additional reading. Prior familiarity with basic thermodynamics and vector calculus is assumed.