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We report the results of a numerical investigation of isothermal axisymmetric flows of a viscous incompressible fluid in rotating spherical layers in the presence of random small-amplitude oscillations of the rotational velocity of the inner sphere about the constant (in time) average value. Two cases are considered: the rotation of the inner sphere only and the corotation of spheres with equal angular velocities. It is established that, in these two cases, the flows respond to perturbations in different ways. Comparison with experiment confirms the possibility of an increase in the average velocity in separate areas of the flow with upon an increase in the amplitude of fluctuations, which has been detected in calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental investigations of various scenarios of the transition from laminar to stochastic flow modes, are extensively used to study turbulence. Scenarios whose development is accompanied by the formation of intermittency can be separated among typical scenarios of the transition to stochasticity. Intermittency means that the regular time behavior of a system is interrupted by intervals of the irregular behavior for the same values of controlling parameters. Intermittency can exist both in time and in space. Both spatial and time intermittencies for boundary layers have been studied experimentally for a long time.

Examines the laminar-to-turbulent transition in the spherical Couette flow. Viscous incompressible flow between two spherical boundaries; Spatial flow structure; Supercritical flow.