A numerical study of formation of unsteady vortex behind a sphere in stratified flow

Stratified flow past a three-dimensional obstacle such as a sphere has been a long-lasting subject of geophysical, environmental and engineering fluid dynamics. In order to investigate the effect of the stratification on the near wake, in particular, the unsteady vortex formation behind a sphere, numerical simulations of stratified flows past a sphere are conducted. The time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a three-dimensional finite element method and a modified explicit time integration scheme. Laminar flow regime is considered, and linear stratification of density is assumed under Boussinesq approximation. The computed results include the characteristics of the near wake and the unsteady vortex shedding. With a strong stratification, the separation on the sphere is suppressed and the wake structure behind the sphere becomes planar, resembling that behind a vertical cylinder