Optimal transient amplification of a viscous shearing wave ($G_{\max }\sim (2\mathrm{Re}/e{)}^{2/3}$)

For the shearing-wave energy profile, stationary points satisfy $-2\mathrm{Re}T=(1+T^2{)}^2$. At large Reynolds number, the initial minimum is at $T_{-}\sim -(2\mathrm{Re}{)}^{1/3}$ and the subsequent maximum is at $T_{+}\sim -1/(2\mathrm{Re})$. Their energy ratio is $G_{\max }\sim (2\mathrm{Re}{)}^{2/3}{e}^{-2/3}$. The Reynolds number here uses $A$, half the background shear rate; using $2A$ instead changes the coefficient convention.

// Target: astrophysics.bigb