Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2023/ii/paper-4/38c/e/solution

Put . Decay at infinity and the symmetry of the disturbance suggest the mode potentials
The middle potential is an even function of because its vertical derivative must take opposite values at the two interfaces. The upper kinematic conditions give
The lower conditions give the same two relations. The upper dynamic condition is
Eliminating , and yields the dispersion relation
Writing , its two roots are
For every real , and one root has the positive growth rate
Thus every nonzero wavenumber is linearly unstable in this inviscid vortex sheet model; is neutral.

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