Comparison of three-dimensional and two-dimensional statistical mechanics of shear layers for flow between two parallel plates

TL;DR

This paper compares 3D and 2D statistical mechanics models of shear layers between parallel plates, showing they produce nearly identical averaged velocity profiles.

Contribution

It demonstrates the equivalence of 3D and 2D statistical mechanics predictions for shear flows between parallel walls.

Findings

Velocity profiles from both models are practically indistinguishable.

Supports the use of simpler 2D models for certain shear flow analyses.

Provides insight into vortex behavior in confined shear flows.

Abstract

It is shown that the averaged velocity profiles predicted by statistical mechanics of point vortices and statistical mechanics of vortex lines are practically indistinguishable for a shear flow between two parallel walls.