When a circular cylinder oscillates with respect to a uniform background flow, a variety of wake patterns can be observed in which multiple vortices are generated during each shedding cycle. A flowing soap film, an experimental system with quasi-two-dimensional flow, provides an alternative method for investigating the role of system dimensionality in the structure and dynamics of complex vortex wakes. Wake patterns are observed directly through interference fringes caused by thickness variations in the soap film.
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