A note on the boundary layer approach to the impulsively started flow past a flat plate

The second order boundary layer effects are considered for the classical problem of the impulsive motion past a flat plate. Although Stewartson [1], [2] showed clearly how the effect of the leading edge requires a finite time to enter the boundary layer when only first order effects are included, we see here how this second order contribution is noticed immediately throughout the layer, and so becomes the dominant contribution after the Rayleigh behaviour during this time.