On Nonlinear Evolution of C-type Instability in Nonparallel Boundary Layers

The process of evolution, especially that of nonlinear evolution, of C-type instability of laminar-turbulent flow transition in nonparallel boundary layers are studied by means of a newly developed method called parabolic stability equations (PSE). Initial conditions, which are very important for the nonlinear problem, are investigated by computing initial solution of the harmonic waves, modifying the mean-flow-distortion, and giving initial value of TS wave and its subharmonic waves at initial station by solving linear PSE. A numerical method with high-order accuracy are developed in the text, the key normalization conditions in the PSE are satisfied, and nonlinear PSE are solved efficiently and implemented stably by the spatial marching. It has been shown that the computed process of nonlinear evolution of C-type instability in Blasius boundary layer is in good agreement with the experimental results.