Effect of streaks on hypersonic boundary layer instability

TL;DR

This study investigates how steady streaks influence the transition to turbulence in hypersonic boundary layers at Mach 6, highlighting the dominant role of low-frequency instabilities and streak-related mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of streak effects on hypersonic boundary layer transition using extended SPOD and linear DNS at Mach 6.

Findings

Low-frequency first-mode instabilities dominate transition.

Streaks significantly influence boundary layer stability.

Broadband forcing reveals streak-associated instabilities.

Abstract

Hypersonic boundary layers exhibit diverse transition pathways, influenced by various flow conditions and environments. Non-modal mechanisms, such as the lift-up effect, are recognized as pivotal contributors to transition, particularly over complex geometries like rough walls or blunted forebodies. In this study, we investigate the impact of steady streaks on the transition to turbulence in hypersonic boundary layers. Streaky baseflows are generated using optimal disturbances at the inlet, forming the basis for our analysis. We conduct linearized direct numerical simulations on these baseflows at Mach number $M_\infty=6.0$, using white noise forcing to trigger instabilities. An efficient extension of the SPOD method is applied to identify and track the instabilities originating from the broadband forcing on the 3D non-homogeneous baseflows. The results highlight the dominant influence of low-frequency first-mode instabilities and streak-associated instabilities in the linear regime. These findings emphasize the critical role of streaks in hypersonic boundary layer transition and provide valuable insights into this complex phenomenon.