The results of a theoretical and experimental study of the interactions between adjacent line vortices are presented. Particular emphasis is given to the process of merging or pairing in which two vortices of like sign coalesce to form a single vortex. Merging is discussed in terms of its importance to the growth and aging of turbulent shear layers and aircraft wakes. Flow visualization experiments are described in which merging was observed by means of smoke injected into a wind tunnel flow. Vortex pairs of like sign and equal strength, varying sign and strength, and opposite sign and equal strength were studied. Good qualitative agreement is found between the observed flow patterns and those calculated by means of a computer code.

The decision of the General Assembly of the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics to organize a Symposium on Dynamics of Slender Vortices was greeted with great enthusiasm. The acceptance of the proposal, forwarded by the Deutsches Komitee fiir Mechanik (DEKOMECH) signalized, that there was a need for discussing the topic chosen in the frame the IUTAM Symposia offer. Also the location of the symposium was suitably chosen: It was decided to hold the symposium at the RWTH Aachen, where, years ago, Theodore von Karman had worked on problems related to those to be discussed now anew. It was clear from the beginning of the planning, that the symposium could only be held in the von Karman-Auditorium ofthe Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule Aachen, a building named after him. The symposium was jointly organized by the editors of this volume, strongly supported by the local organizing committee. The invitations of the scientific committee brought together scientists actively engaged in research on the dynamics of slender vortices. It was the aim of the committee to have the state of the art summarized and also to have the latest results of specific problems investigated communicated to the participants of the symposium. The topics chosen were asymptotic theories, numerical methods, vor tices in shear layers, interaction of vortices, vortex breakdown, vortex sound, and aircraft and helicopter vortices.

This book contains the proceedings of a colloquium held in Monte Verit from September 9-13, 1991. Special care has been taken to devote adequate space to the scientific discussions, which claimed about half of the time available. Scientists from all over the world presented their views on the importance of kinematic properties, topology and fractal geometry, and on the dynamic behaviour of turbulent flows. They debated the importance of coherent structures and the possibility to incorporate these in the statistical theory of turbulence, as well as their significance for the reduction of the degrees of freedom and the prospective of dynamical systems and chaos approaches to the problem of turbulence. Also under discussion was the relevance of these new approaches to the study of the instability and the origin of turbulence, and the importance of numerical and physical experiments in improving the understanding of turbulence.

Fluid Vortices is a comprehensive, up-to-date, research-level overview covering all salient flows in which fluid vortices play a significant role. The various chapters have been written by specialists from North America, Europe and Asia, making for unsurpassed depth and breadth of coverage. Topics addressed include fundamental vortex flows (mixing layer vortices, vortex rings, wake vortices, vortex stability, etc.), industrial and environmental vortex flows (aero-propulsion system vortices, vortex-structure interaction, atmospheric vortices, computational methods with vortices, etc.), and multiphase vortex flows (free-surface effects, vortex cavitation, and bubble and particle interactions with vortices). The book can also be recommended as an advanced graduate-level supplementary textbook. The first nine chapters of the book are suitable for a one-term course; chapters 10--19 form the basis for a second one-term course.