On the merging of turbulent spots in a supersonic boundary-layer flow

The complex transition flow physics associated with the merging of turbulent spots in a Mach 2 boundary-layer has been studied using direct numerical simulation. Dynamics of an isolated turbulent spot, merging of laterally displaced spots, and merging of two spots in tandem are considered. The coherent structures associated with the wingtip region of the spot are found to play a major role in destabilising the surrounding laminar fluid. In the merging of laterally displaced spots a strong velocity defect, resulting in unstable inflectional velocity profiles, is observed in the interaction zone. These local inflectional instabilities within the interaction region trigger new large scale coherent structures. During the inline merging, the calmed region behind the tail of the downstream spot is found to suppress the growth of the upstream spot. The upstream spot is ultimately engulfed by the downstream spot.