Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / iii / Paper 345 / 3 / a / Solution

It is important to fix the mass flux convention. With literal mass units and the corresponding density-weighted buoyancy flux, the Boussinesq approximation and circular top-hat plume model giveReplacing $\rho$ by ${\rho }_0$ in inertial fluxes is the Boussinesq approximation; the density difference is retained in the buoyancy flux. Define the kinematic plume fluxesIf the symbols $Q,\mathbf{M},F$ instead denote the customary kinematic fluxes, simply omit the factors ${\rho }_0$ in all conversions below. Keeping the two conventions consistent is essential for the jet length and dimensional prefactors.

The Batchelor entrainment hypothesis prescribes inward edge velocityThe constant entrainment coefficient relates ambient inflow to the local axial velocity. A centreline segment of arc length $ds$ entrains volume $2\pi b{u}_{e}ds$. Hence, setting $E=2\alpha \sqrt{\pi }$,The buoyancy flux is conserved because the homogeneous entrained ambient has zero density deficit, and mixing has no buoyancy source or sink. The imposed zero source mass flux with nonzero source momentum flux is a singular point-source idealization, not a finite-radius nozzle with zero emitted fluid. Indeed $V=m/q$ and the plume reduced gravity $f/q$ diverge as $q\to 0$ with nonzero source fluxes. The Boussinesq approximation cannot remain valid arbitrarily close to that point. The top-hat plume model is applied outside the unresolved source region.