Statistical analysis of temperature distribution on vortex surfaces in hypersonic turbulent boundary layer

The nonuniform temperature distribution (NUTD) on the coherent vortex surfaces of hypersonic turbulent boundary layer (TBL) is studied using the conditional sampling technique. The direct numerical simulation data of Mach 8 flat-plate TBL flows with different wall temperatures, T-w/T-infinity = 10.03 and 1.9, are used for this research, and the coherent vortex surface is identified by the O-criterion. Two characteristic sides of the vortex are defined, which are represented by the positive and negative streamwise velocity fluctuations (+/- u') of the vortex surfaces. The conditional sampling results between the mean temperature of the two sides show that there is a significant difference of up to 20% at the same wall-normal location. Furthermore, the velocity-temperature fluctuation correlations (R-u'T' and R-v'T') at the characteristic sides of vortex surfaces are studied. It is found that the temperature fluctuations are redistributed by the vortex rotational motion that has taken effect through R-u'T' and R-v'T' and then lead to the NUTD. The NUTD features are changed quantitatively by wall cooling but share the similar mechanism as that of the higher-temperature case. Published under license by AIP Publishing