Effects of velocity skewness on the linear stability of the oscillatory Stokes layer

The effects of velocity skewness on the oscillating Stokes layer are investigated. Linear stability characteristics for the family of velocity-skewed time-periodic flows are determined using Floquet theory. Neutral stability curves and critical parameter settings for instability and the structure of the eigenfunctions are presented. Velocity skewness establishes a stabilizing effect and increases the critical Reynolds number for the onset of linear instability to larger values than that found in the non-skewed Stokes layer. Solutions indicate that disturbances develop in the direction that the wall velocity achieves a maximum absolute value.