hydrodynamic instability

Hydrodynamic instability occurs when a fluid flow becomes unsteady or chaotic, often leading to turbulence. This happens when small disturbances in the flow grow over time instead of dissipating, caused by factors like velocity differences, density variations, or obstacles. For example, smooth water flowing around a rock can suddenly become turbulent, creating swirling patterns. These instabilities are key in natural phenomena and engineering, affecting weather patterns, aircraft design, and pipelines. Essentially, it's the process where stable, orderly fluid motion shifts into unpredictable, chaotic flow due to inherent or external influences.