Of necessity, the interface between the two fluids is drawn into the sink. A numerical method based on an integral equation formulation yields accurate solutions to the problem, and it is shown that multiple steady-state solutions are possible in many of the parameter regions. Complicated fold bifurcations also occur in some instances, as solution branches approach their limiting configurations. Relationships between these new results and previous work is discussed. 2 Department of Mathematics, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
Withdrawal flow through a point sink on the bottom of a fluid of finite depth is considered.
The fluid is at rest at infinity, and a stagnation point is present at the free surface, directly above the point sink. Numerical solutions are computed by means of the method of fundamental solutions, and it is observed that flows of this type are apparently possible for Froude number less than about 1.5. Relationshiops to previous work are discussed.