Bluff body wake control by magnetic fields

We present numerical results on the control of 2-D and 3-D instabilities in the wake of a circular cylinder by means of externally applied magnetic fields. 2-D instability (vortex shedding) can clearly be suppressed with increasing field strength. However, 3-D instability is influenced in a nonmonotonic way, triggered by changes to the 2-D flow. 3-D instability can exist below the 2-D stability threshold, which may lead to a reversal of the order of instabilities for fixed field strength. Strong fields seem to amplify 3-D instability.