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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow
Published on: May 1, 2018
Propagation velocities of chemical reaction fronts advected by Poiseuille flow
1Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6315, USA.
Abstract:
Poiseuille flow between parallel plates advects chemical reaction fronts, distorting them and altering their propagation velocities. Analytical solutions of the cubic reaction-diffusion-advection equation resolve the chemical concentration for narrow gaps, wide gaps, and small-amplitude flow. Numerical solutions supply a general description for fluid flow in the direction of propagation of the chemical reaction front, and for flow in the opposite direction. Empirical relations for the velocity agree with numerical solutions to within a few percent, and agree exactly with the analytical limits. Applications to nonlinear fingering are discussed.
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