'The Americas (Catholic University) (Project Muse)'
Abstract
We are concerned about effect of a 3D surface indentation on instability and laminar-turbulent transition in a boundary layer. For natural transition in a boundary layer, the transition onset is dominated by growth of the Tollmien- Schlichting (TS) wave and its subsequent secondary instability. In the paper, both linear analysis and nonlinear calculations are carried out to address the 3D surface indentation effect on amplifying TS waves’ amplitudes and prompting transition onset. By the linear analysis, we address sudden amplification of the TS modes by a separation bubble in a surface indentation region. The nonlinear calculations are implemented to validate the traditional transition criteria predicted by the linear theory when a 3D indentation is present. Finally, applicability of the traditional transition criteria is assessed
