Development of Boundary Layers and Separation Patterns on a Body of Revolution at Incidence

Abstract : Detailed measurements in three-dimensional boundary layers and separated flow fields, developing on a prolate spheroid, are presented. The discussion is concentrated on the possible topological structure of separation patterns resulting from laminar or turbulent boundary layer flows. A hypothesis about the transition from an unsteady two-dimensional axisymmetric flow separation into a steady three-dimensional vortex flow is established. (Author)