SECOND-ORDER EFFECTS IN LAMINAR BOUNDARY LAYERS

Abstract

Second-order boundary layer disturbances are due to the displacement of the main flow by the boundary layer, surface curvature, freestream vorticity, and slip. A procedure for finding these is given for compressible flow of a perfect gas having a classically similar boundary layer. Solutions are given for the flat plate and circular cylinder and for the hypersonic axisymmetric stagnation point. For the latter flow, the dominant effect is that of vorticity, which increases both shear and heat flux. For the plate or cylinder, the same conclusion tends to hold for high speed flow. The vorticity effect is governed by the entire outer flow—not just the wall vorticity.