Experimental study of the stabilization of tollmien-schlichtingwaves by finite amplitude streaks

Abstract

The stabilization of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves in a spanwise modulated Blasius boundary layer has been experimentally verified in the MTL wind tunnel at KTH. The alternating high and low speed streaks were created by regularly spaced cylindrical roughness elements mounted on the flat plate. It is shown that the larger the streak amplitude the larger is the damping effect of the TS-waves, which is in agreement with recent theoretical work. © 2006 Springer.