Receptivity of Hypersonic Boundary Layer to Wall Disturbances

Theoretical analysis of hypersonic boundary-layer receptivity to wall disturbances is conducted using a combination of asymptotic and numerical methods. Excitation of the second mode by distributed and local forcing on a flat-plate surface is studied under adiabatic and cooled wall conditions. Analysis addresses receptivity to wall vibrations, periodic suction/blowing, and temperature disturbances. A strong excitation occurs in local regions where forcing is in resonance with normal waves. It is shown that the receptivity function tends to infinity as the resonance point tends to the branch point of the discrete spectrum that is typical for boundary layers on cool surfaces. Asymptotic analysis resolves this singularity and provides the receptivity coefficient in the branch-point vicinity. Numerical results indicate extremely high receptivity to vibrations and suction/blowing in the vicinity of the branch point located near the lower neutral branch of the Mack second mode. Received 5 September 2000 and accepted 7 September 2001