External Excitation of Planar Jets

A planar jet was subjected to transverse periodic disturbances of appropriate dimension-less frequency such that the vortex growth of the jet could be controlled for a wide range of jet Reynolds number (1860 to 10,800). Changes in the apparent time mean characteristics of the jet in its initial formation region, due to the applied disturbances, are related to the behavior of vortices. The processes of vortex formation, growth, and coalescence in the initial formation region are portrayed. The alterations of these processes as a function of the dimensionless applied disturbance are classed into regimes identified with respect to the natural breakdown state of the jet.