BOUNDARY LAYER STABILITY AND TRANSITION

Abstract : A review is given of boundary layer stability and transition. The normal modes procedures as they apply to boundary layers are briefly reviewed and the mechanism of instability is discussed. It is shown how normal modes results may be used to give guidance regarding the factors affecting transition. Some remarks are made about the prediction of transition and about the fixing of transition. It is concluded that the process of transition from laminar to turbulent flow remains unsolved. However, significant inroads into inroads into the understanding of transition are now possible because of our ability to do sophisticated theoretical and experimental studies of the stability of laminar boundary layers.