Statistical laws of the pressure fluctuations in a hypersonic turbulent boundary layer

The results of measuring the pressure fluctuations on the wall of the nozzle of a hypersonic wind tunnel beneath a developed turbulent boundary layer are presented for the Mach number M_∞ = 7.5. On the basis of a statistical analysis, it is shown that the action of the turbulent flow is dynamically similar to the propagation of a random sequence of wave packets with continuously distributed temporal and spatial scales. Low-frequency disturbances are associated with large-scale structures of long duration that propagate at a mean-statistical velocity similar in value to the outer flow velocity. The continuous generation of weakly-correlated small-scale disturbances ensuring the maintenance and development of turbulence occurs chiefly in the inner region of the boundary layer. Spectral estimates of the power generated by the turbulent flow in the wall region of the boundary layer are presented.