Experiments on the nonlinear stages of excited and natural planar jet shear layer transition

An experimental investigation focusing on the nonlinear stages of planar jet shear layer transition is presented. Experimental results for transition under both natural and low level artificial forcing conditions are presented and compared. The local spectral dynamics of the jet shear layer is modeled as a nonlinear system based upon a frequency domain, second-order Volterra functional series representation. The local linear and nonlinear wave coupling coefficients are estimated from time-series streamwise velocity fluctuation data. From the linear coupling coefficient, the mean dispersion characteristics and spatial growth rates may be obtained. With the estimation of the nonlinear power transfer function, the total, linear and quadratic nonlinear spectral energy transfer may be locally estimated. When these measures are used in conjunction with the local quadratic bicoherency and linear-quadratic coupling bicoherency, the local system output power may be completely characterized and the effect of nonlinearity on local mean flow distortion assessed. Particular attention is focused upon quantifying the linear and nonlinear power transfer that characterizes the different stages of the jet shear layer transition for both natural and excited flows. The quadratic power transfer that occurs with deviation from the perfect resonant wavenumber matching condition is clarified as is the dynamic mechanism of subharmonic resonance. The mechanism of spectral broadening is described and contrasted for natural and artificially excited flows.