Abstract Sivashinsky CTS-9521084 Extension of research being currently carried out by the PI for NSF in the area of hydrodynamics of flame propagation is proposed. The objectives of the proposed work are twofold viz. to investigate the interaction of local flame front dynamics with non-local hydrodynamic effects, and to investigate the self-fractalization and self-fragmentation phenomena in intrinsically unstable flames. New Models will be formulated in which the influence of hydrodynamic and emission factors on speed, shape and stability will be examined. The PI has identified several specific topics relevant to these objectives which include: (1) the study of hydrodynamic instability involving downstream vorticity effects which should provide information on flame wrinkling and therefore, flame speed, (2) the study of pattern formation through cracks in which the structure and dynamics of a solitary crack will be investigated in order to determine its shape, propagation speed and stability, and (3) the study of self-fragmentation in near-limit low Lewis number diffusively unstable flames. Attempts will be made to reduce the complexity of these topics to simple approximate problems tractable either analytically or numerically by the use of asymptotic and perturbation techniques.
