Kelvin-Helmholtz Research Articles

Evidence of Kelvin-Helmholtz and tearing mode instabilities at the magnetopause during space weather events

Introduction: Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) and tearing mode (TM) instabilities are one of the most important mechanisms of solar wind energy, momentum and plasma transport within the magnetosphere.Methods: To investigate the conditions under which KHTM instabilities occur in the Earth environment it is fundamental to combine simultaneous multipoint in situ measurements and MHD simulations. We analyzed data from the THEMIS and Cluster spacecraft considering two Space Weather (SWE) events starting with an M2.0 flare event (hereafter Case-1) that occurred on 21 June 2015 and the most-intensive flare (X9.3) of solar cycle 24 that occurred on 6 September 2017 (hereafter Case-2).Results: Our analysis utilized a 2D MHD model for incompressible and viscous flow. The results from Case-1 indicate the presence of KH and TM instabilities, suggesting existence of observed low-amplitude oscillations at the nose of the magnetopause. However, the MHD simulations for Case-2 did not show any evidence of KH vortices, but did reveal the presence of “magnetic island” structures during a low-shear condition. The reconnection rate derived from the observations is compared with the computed one in the presence of developed instabilities inside the Earth’s magnetopause.

Quantifying wake dynamics subjected to stream vegetation patch elongation: The influence of patch-edge vortices

Vortices are generated across a wide range of scales due to the interaction between in-stream vegetation and surrounding flows, significantly influencing hydro-geomorphodynamics in earth surface water systems. Recent advance in vegetation patch hydrodynamics has revealed that the elongation of the middle channel patch can generate complex wake flow patterns by adjusting the bleed flow from the patch and triggering the patch-edge Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) vortices. With a broader range of experimental configurations, this study reveals how the patch wake mixing is apparently strengthened by the presence of KH vortices, indicated by a larger steady wake velocity, a shorter steady wake length, and a damped energy of wake von Karman vortex. Furthermore, we quantify these characteristic metrics of patch wake behavior with and without the influence of KH vortices. Our findings provide insights into the role of vegetation-induced vortex interactions in regulating mixing processes, thereby promoting informed practices in environmental flows.

Impact of harmonic inflow variations on the size and dynamics of the separated flow over a bump

The separated flow over a wall-mounted bump geometry under harmonic oscillations of the inflow stream is investigated with direct numerical simulations. The bump geometry gives rise to streamwise pressure gradients similar to those encountered on the suction side of low-pressure turbine (LPT) blades. Under steady inflow conditions, the separated-flow laminar-to-turbulent transition is initiated by self-sustained vortex shedding due to Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability. In LPTs the dynamics are further complicated by the passage of the wakes shed by the previous stage of blades. The wake-passing effect is modeled here by introducing a harmonic variation of the inflow conditions. Three inflow oscillation frequencies and three amplitudes are considered. The frequencies are comparable to the wake-passing frequencies in practical LPTs. The amplitudes range from 1% to 10% of the inflow total pressure. The dynamics of the separated flow are studied by isolating the flow components that are respectively coherent with and uncorrelated to the inflow oscillation. Three scenarios are identified. The first one is analogous to the steady inflow case. In the second one, the KH vortex shedding is replaced during a part of the inflow period by the formation and release of a large vortex cluster. The third scenario consists solely of the periodic formation and release of the vortex cluster; it leads to a consistent reduction of the separated flow length over the entire period compared to the steady inflow case and would be the most desirable flow condition in a practical application. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Experimental study of a separated shear layer transition under acoustic excitation

The paper discusses experimental results on the effect of broadband acoustic excitation on laminar-to-turbulent transition in a separated shear layer developing on a flat plate subjected to an adverse pressure gradient (APG) and freestream turbulence level equal to Tu ≅ 1 %. The study encompasses the influence of Reynolds number (Rex = 185 000 and 370 000) and sound pressure level (SPL). The inherent complexity of the problem is simplified by providing an acoustic excitation from a controlled source (loudspeaker), acting on the boundary layer developing on the flat plate with a given streamwise pressure gradient. Two types of instabilities were identified in the pre-transitional boundary layer in unexcited flows. One was related to the inviscid Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability, while the second one was associated with formation of streamwise-oriented Klebanoff streaks (so-called Klebanoff mode).In the low Reynolds number case (Rex = 185 000), the K-H was responsible for transition onset, while in the high Reynolds number flow (Rex = 370 000), the Klebanoff distortions dominated the turbulent breakdown with the minor effect of the K-H instability. In addition to the naturally developing boundary layer, the flow was exposed to a pink noise characterized by SPL = 125 dB and 135 dB. In the low Reynolds number case, the acoustic excitation enhanced the K-H instability. It resulted in an earlier laminar-to-turbulent transition in case with higher sound pressure level (135 dB). In the high Reynolds number flow, the acoustic excitation enhanced the mixed-type transition mechanism with dominant role of the Klebanoff streaks. Shrinking or complete suppression of the separation bubbles was observed, depending on the applied sound pressure level (125 and 135 dB).

Simulated WSR-88D Observations of the Streamwise Vorticity Current

The streamwise vorticity current (SVC) has been shown in recent research to have a role in the tornadogenesis process in some supercells. Although field experiments have succeeded in observing the feature using mobile radars, limited knowledge exists on how/if SVCs can be observed using operational radars. To explore this possibility, simple radar emulation software was used to create simulated Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) radar images of an SVC in a high-resolution numerical simulation of a supercell thunderstorm. This proof-of-concept approach shows that SVCs likely can be observed in an operational setting under idealized circumstances. Two analysis times from the simulation are used to compare the signatures of both a weak and a strong SVC. This study suggests that results are highly contingent on radar viewing angle, and quality observations of the SVC may only be possible when a storm is within 45 km of the radar site. In Plan Position Indicator (PPI) scans, SVCs are found to be associated with inflow winds that penetrate more rearward with height downstream of the mesocyclone. Range Height Indicator (RHI) reconstructions show a reflectivity billow that resembles a density current head containing a Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) billow, as well as a radial velocity couplet co-located with the SVC. A vertical shear product is introduced to visualize low-level vertical wind shear in the vicinity of the SVC to facilitate identification of the feature without interrogation of multiple elevation angles of radial velocity data.

Density and Magnetic Field Asymmetric Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability

AbstractThe Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) instability can transport mass, momentum, magnetic flux, and energy between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere, which plays an important role in the solar‐wind‐magnetosphere coupling process for different planets. Meanwhile, strong density and magnetic field asymmetry are often present between the magnetosheath (MSH) and magnetosphere (MSP), which could affect the transport processes driven by the KH instability. Our magnetohydrodynamics simulation shows that the KH growth rate is insensitive to the density ratio between the MSP and the MSH in the compressible regime, which is different than the prediction from linear incompressible theory. When the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is parallel to the planet's magnetic field, the nonlinear KH instability can drive a double mid‐latitude reconnection (DMLR) process. The total double reconnected flux depends on the KH wavelength and the strength of the lower magnetic field. When the IMF is anti‐parallel to the planet's magnetic field, the nonlinear interaction between magnetic reconnection and the KH instability leads to fast reconnection (i.e., close to Petschek reconnection even without including kinetic physics). However, the peak value of the reconnection rate still follows the asymmetric reconnection scaling laws. We also demonstrate that the DMLR process driven by the KH instability mixes the plasma from different regions and consequently generates different types of velocity distribution functions. We show that the counter‐streaming beams can be simply generated via the change of the flux tube connection and do not require parallel electric fields.

Vortex dynamics and boundary layer transition in flow around a rectangular cylinder with different aspect ratios at medium Reynolds number

The numerical investigation focuses on the flow patterns around a rectangular cylinder with three aspect ratios ( $L/D=5$ , $10$ , $15$ ) at a Reynolds number of $1000$ . The study delves into the dynamics of vortices, their associated frequencies, the evolution of the boundary layer and the decay of the wake. Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) vortices originate from the leading edge (LE) shear layer and transform into hairpin vortices. Specifically, at $L/D=5$ , three KH vortices merge into a single LE vortex. However, at $L/D=10$ and $15$ , two KH vortices combine to form a LE vortex, with the rapid formation of hairpin vortex packets. A fractional harmonic arises due to feedback from the split LE shear layer moving upstream, triggering interaction with the reverse flow. Trailing edge (TE) vortices shed, creating a Kármán-like street in the wake. The intensity of wake oscillation at $L/D=5$ surpasses that in the other two cases. Boundary layer transition occurs after the saturation of disturbance energy for $L/D=10$ and $15$ , but not for $L/D=5$ . The low-frequency disturbances are selected to generate streaks inside the boundary layer. The TE vortex shedding induces the formation of a favourable pressure gradient, accelerating the flow and fostering boundary layer relaminarization. The self-similarity of the velocity defect is observed in all three wakes, accompanied by the decay of disturbance energy. Importantly, the decrease in the shedding frequency of LE (TE) vortices significantly contributes to the overall decay of disturbance energy. This comprehensive exploration provides insights into complex flow phenomena and their underlying dynamics.

Growth and Breakdown of Kelvin–Helmholtz Billows in the Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The development and breakdown of Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) waves (billows) in the stable atmospheric boundary layer (SABL) and their impact on vertical transport of momentum and scalars have been examined utilizing large eddy simulations. These simulations are initialized with a vertically uniform geostrophic wind and a constant potential temperature lapse rate. An Ekman type of boundary layer develops, and an inflection point forms in the SABL, which triggers the KH instability (KHI). KHI develops with the kinetic energy (KE) in the KH billows growing exponentially with time. The subsequent onset of secondary shear instability along S-shaped braids leads to the turbulent breakdown of the KH billow cores and braids. The frictional ground surface tends to slow down the growth of KE near the surface, reduce the KH billow core depth, and likely suppress other types of secondary instability. KH billows induce substantial down-gradient transport of momentum and sensible heat, which can be further enhanced by the onset of secondary shear instability. Although the KHI-induced strong transport only lasts for around 10–20 min, it reduces vertical shear and stratification in the SABL, enhances surface winds, and results in a 2–3-fold increase in the SABL depth.

Effects of Blockage Ratio on the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Turbulent Flow Separation Around a Square Cylinder at Moderate Reynolds Numbers

Abstract The effects of blockage ratio (BR) on turbulent flows around square cylinders at moderate Reynolds numbers are investigated using a time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TR-PIV). The blockage ratios range from 2.5% to 15%, and the Reynolds numbers based on the freestream velocity and cylinder thickness are 3000, 7500, and 15,000. The flow dynamics are examined in terms of the mean flow, Reynolds stresses, frequency spectra, reverse flow area, and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). The results show that the wake characteristics are nearly independent of the Reynolds number and blockage ratio. Spectral analyses of the velocity fluctuations demonstrate that the von Kármán (VK) shedding frequency is independent of the Reynolds number and blockage ratio, however, the Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) frequencies increase with increasing Reynolds number and blockage ratio. The probability density function of the reverse flow area shows unimodal and bimodal distributions for the lower (BR ≤ 5%) and higher (BR ≥ 10%) blockage ratios, respectively, and the mean reverse flow area and its standard deviation decrease with increasing blockage ratio. The results also show that the contributions from the first POD mode pair to the total energy increase with blockage ratio but independent of the Reynolds number. The POD mode coefficients show significant cycle-to-cycle variation at lower blockage ratios, suggesting that the energetic structures are comparatively less organized at lower blockage ratios. The spectra of the velocity fluctuations, reverse flow area, and POD mode coefficients all show dominant peaks at the fundamental shedding frequency.

PRIMARY BREAKUP INSTABILITY OF LIQUID JET IN CROSSFLOW

The liquid jet in crossflows (LJICF) has been analyzed using the compressible volume of fluid-Lagrangian particle tracking (VOF-LPT) coupled solver for the instabilities that result in the primary breakup. It is understood that the dominant force driving the instabilities changes with the Weber number and momentum flux ratio. The Kelvin- Helmholtz (KH) instability is found to be prevalent at low momentum flux ratio, whereas the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is dominant at higher values. In the present work, the instability causing the primary breakup is analyzed for a range of Weber numbers and momentum flux ratios, where the breakup is predominantly caused by either KH or RT instability. It is observed that the transition from KH waves to RT waves happens for the momentum flux ratio values ranging from 20 to 50. Also, the lower Weber number cases show the domination of long KH waves on the liquid jet column with negligible turbulence.

CHARACTERIZATION OF SEPARATED SHEAR LAYER OF ELEVATED JET IN CROSSFLOW AT LOW-VELOCITY RATIO

The present study reports an experimental investigation of the flow dynamics of separated shear layers of an elevated jet-in-crossflow (EJICF). The current work aims to enhance the understanding of the downwash of jet fluid into the stack-wake region, akin to plume downwash in chimney flows, particularly at a low-velocity ratio. One end of the square stack with the aspect ratio of 9.0 is kept on a flat plate while the jet emerges from the free-end open to crossflow. Flow visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments are conducted in a recirculating, low-speed water tunnel for three Reynolds numbers, namely Re = 1000, 2000, and 4000, based on the side of the square stack (<i>D</i>) and the freestream velocity (<i>U</i><sub>∞</sub>). The study mainly focuses on the jet shear layer characteristics and the downstream wake near the free-end formed by the interaction of crossflow and the jet shear layer. The instantaneous flow behavior includes the analysis of the shedding of the jet shear layer in a symmetric plane (<i>z</i> = 0) at a constant velocity ratio of <i>R</i> = 0.5. On the windward side, the jet shear layer reveals the formation of small-scale vortices due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability for Re ≥ 2000. Also, it is found that at a high Reynolds number (Re = 4000), an unstable vortex appears above the jet exit on the upstream side, mentioned as a hovering vortex. The mean and fluctuating flow behavior are investigated using streamline and contour plots of mean velocity and fluctuating components.

Impact of K-H Instability on NOx Emissions in N2O Thermal Decomposition Using Premixed CH4 Co-Flow Flames and Electric Furnace

This study systematically investigates the formation of NOx in the thermal decomposition of N2O, focusing on the impact of Kelvin–Helmholtz (K-H) instability in combustion environments. Using premixed CH4 co-flow flames and an electric furnace as distinct heat sources, we explored NOx emission dynamics under varying conditions, including reaction temperature, residence time, and N2O dilution rates (XN2O). Our findings demonstrate that diluting N2O around a premixed flame increases flame length and decreases flame propagation velocity, inducing K-H instability. This instability was quantitatively characterized using Richardson and Strouhal numbers, highlighting N2O’s role in augmenting oxygen supply within the flame and significantly altering flame dynamics. The study reveals that higher XN2O consistently led to increased NO formation independently of nozzle exit velocity (ujet) or co-flow rate, emphasizing the influence of N2O concentration on NO production. In scenarios without K-H instability, particularly at lower ujet, an exponential rise in NO2 formation rates was observed, due to the reduced residence time of N2O near the flame surface, limiting pyrolysis effectiveness. Conversely, at higher ujet where K-H instability occurs, the formation rate of NO2 drastically decreased. This suggests that K-H instability is crucial in optimizing N2O decomposition for minimal NOx production.

Nonlinear electrostatic kelvin-helmholtz shock waves in a viscous electron-positron-ion plasma with non-maxwellian distribution

A theoretical investigation is carried out for nonlinear electrostatic Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) shock waves in a magnetized electron-positron-ion viscous plasma in the presence of transport equations and non-Maxwellian particles by following the generalized (r, q) distribution function. The propagation of electrostatic K-H modes are studied both in the presence of trapped and free electrons. The nonlinear analysis with inclusion of plasma transport properties (magnetic viscosity and heat conduction) lead to nonlinear electrostatic K-H mode in the form of shock like waves by solving the modified Burgers’ equation. The electrostatic K-H shocks are investigated numerically with effect of different plasma parameters such as shear velocity and non-Maxwellian distributed particles. It is observed that the striking features (viz., amplitude and width of dissipative shock through the solution of Burgers’ equation) of the K-H mode are significantly modified by the effects of non-thermality of electrons and positrons both at shoulder and tails along with shear velocity due to viscosity. The relevancy of our work to the observations in space (viz., cometary comae and earth’s ionosphere), astrophysical (viz., pulsars) and laboratory (viz., solid-high intense laser plasma interaction experiments) plasmas is highlighted.

Swirling instability of coaxial liquid jet in gas surroundings

Linear instability analysis of an inviscid coaxial swirling jet is carried out by deriving an analytical dispersion relation of perturbation growth. The azimuthal Rankine vortex and the axial discontinuous velocity distribution are utilized as the jet basic flow. Due to the existence of double interfaces, the instability mechanisms of the coaxial swirling jet are much more complex than those of the single-layered swirling jet. The effects of control parameters (including the swirling ratio, the Weber number, the jet radius ratio, the velocity ratios between different fluids, and the azimuthal velocity jump at the inner interface) on the temporal instability of coaxial swirling jet with different azimuthal modes are studied. By comparing the growth rate of different azimuthal modes, the predominant mode that determines the jet breakup is identified. The results indicate that an increase in the swirling ratio, the Weber number, and the radius ratio can lead to predominant mode transition to larger azimuthal wavenumbers. The velocity ratio between the inner jet and the annular jet and that between the surrounding fluid and the annular jet mainly affect the axial Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability. An enhancement of the KH instability leads to the jet breakup with smaller azimuthal wavenumbers. The azimuthal velocity jump affects the azimuthal KH instability, the centrifugal instability, and the Coriolis instability simultaneously, thus leading to a multiple influence on modes transition. The phase-diagram of the predominant modes is further given, showing that the relative importance between the centrifugal force and the interfacial tension plays a significant role on the transition of predominant modes.

Modeling of transition boundary from stratified to non-stratified liquid-liquid flows in small diameter pipe

Modeling the instability of the interfacial wave in stratified liquid-liquid flows is a popular topic and attracts the interest of scholars. In this study, an experimental study is implemented in horizontal and +5° inclined pipes with an inner diameter of 20 mm. A planar laser-induced fluorescence-60 (PLIF-60) system is utilized to visualize the flow structures at the pipe radial section, such as the curved interface and the droplet entrainment. Image processing is used to correct the PLIF-60 flow images and reconstruct quasi-3D flow structures. Flow pattern maps for horizontal and inclined flows are drawn to indicate the transition boundary between stratified and non-stratified flows. Young-Laplace equation with dynamic contact angle is developed to predict the interface configuration. The predicted interface configuration shows a good agreement with that detected by the PLIF-60 system. In view of the fact that the interface configuration is partly associated with the stratified/non-stratified flow transition, a modified model for the transition boundary is established based on Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) stability. Comparisons of the proposed transitional criteria with experimental data and available data in liquid-liquid systems show reasonable agreement in small diameter pipes. Additionally, the proposed model with the consideration of interface configuration is basically not dependent on the wave parameters, such as wave amplitude and wavelength, providing a new way for predicting the transition boundary from stratified to non-stratified liquid-liquid flows in small diameter pipe.

Two self-similar Reynolds-stress transport models with anisotropic eddy viscosity.

Two Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models with full Reynolds-stress transport (RST) and tensor eddy viscosity are presented. These new models represent RST extensions of the k-2L-a-C and k-ϕ-L-a-C models by Morgan [Phys. Rev. E 103, 053108 (2021)10.1103/PhysRevE.103.053108; Phys. Rev. E 105, 045104 (2022)10.1103/PhysRevE.105.045104]. Self-similarity analysis is used to derive constraints on model coefficients required to reproduce expected growth parameters for a variety of canonical flows, including Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) mixing layers. Both models are then applied in one-dimensional simulation of RT and KH mixing layers, and the expected self-similar growth rates and anisotropy are obtained. Next, models are applied in two-dimensional simulation of the so-called "tilted rocket rig" inclined RT experiment [J. Fluids Eng. 136, 091212 (2014)10.1115/1.4027587] and in simulation of a shock-accelerated localized patch of turbulence. It is found that RST is required to capture the qualitative growth of the shock-accelerated patch, and an anisotropic eddy viscosity provides substantial improvement over a Boussinesq treatment for the tilted rocket rig problem.

Heat transfer correlation of smooth inverted annular film boiling in a circular tube

Experiments on steady film boiling heat transfer are conducted in a circular tube with test conditions covering the range of 10–50 K inlet subcooling, 0.2–2.5 MPa pressure, and 100–1000 kg/m2s mass flux. Through analysis of experimental data and comparison with corresponding predictions by the existing correlations, they are demonstrated to be insufficient for accurately capturing the varying trends of the experimental data within inverted annular flow boiling (IAFB) regime. It is discovered that IAFB is divided into three regions, namely, smooth IAFB, rippled IAFB and turbulent IAFB, by the distribution of wall temperature and its rate of change along axial direction, which is consistent with relevant observations from previous study. Only the vapor film in the smooth IAFB can be attributed to laminar vapor film flow, which leads to the discrepancy in the overall trend of existing correlations and experimental data. As fluid flows downstream, interface interaction due to velocity difference between vapor film and liquid core accounts for the fluctuations. The assumption that transition between smooth and rippled IAFB is result from Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability accounts for the flow characteristics of vapor film in smooth IAFB. Heat transfer at interface is obtained based on vapor–liquid velocity. Additionally, a new heat transfer correlation for smooth IAFB is proposed. The MAPE of the new correlation is 16.4%, and the RMSPE is 18.5%. The new correlation could more accurately describe the heat transfer characteristic in smooth IAFB.

Statistical assessment of a Doppler radar model of TKE dissipation rate for low Richardson numbers

Abstract. The potential ability of VHF or UHF Doppler radars to measure turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate ε in the atmosphere is a major asset of these instruments because of the possibility to continuously monitor turbulence in the atmospheric column above the radars. Several models have been proposed over the past decades to relate ε to half the Doppler spectral width σ, corrected for non-turbulent contributions, but their relevance remains unclear. Recently, Luce et al. (2023) tested the performance of a new model expected to be valid for weakly stratified or strongly sheared conditions, i.e., for low Richardson (Ri) numbers. Its simplest expression is εS=CSσ2S, where CS∼0.64 and S=|dV/dz| is the vertical shear of the horizontal wind V. We assessed the relevance of this model with a UHF (1.357 GHz) wind profiler called WPR LQ-7, which is routinely operated at the Shigaraki Middle and Upper Atmosphere (MU) observatory (34.85∘ N, 136.10∘ E) in Japan. For this purpose, we selected turbulence events associated with Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) billows, because their formation necessarily requires Ri<0.25 somewhere in the flow, a condition a priori favorable to the application of the model. Eleven years of WPR LQ-7 data were used for this objective. The assessment of εS was first based on its consistency with an empirical model εLout=σ3/Lout, where Lout has the dimension of an outer scale of turbulence. It was found to compare well in a KH layer with direct estimates of ε from in situ measurements for Lout≈70 m. Some degree of equivalence between εS and εLout was confirmed by statistical analysis of 192 KH layers found in the height range 0.3–5.0 km indicating that Lout≈LH/0.64, where LH=σ/S is the Hunt scale defined for neutral turbulence. The degree of equivalence is even significantly improved if Lout is not treated as a constant but depends on the depth D of the layer. We found Lout≈0.0875D or equivalently LH∼0.056D, which also means that σ is proportional to the apparent variation in the horizontal velocity (S×D) over the depth of the KH layer. Consequently, εS=0.64σ2S and εLout=σ3/0.0875D would express the same model for KH layers when Ri remains low. For such a condition, we provide a physical interpretation of εLout, which would be qualitatively identical to that for neutral boundary layers.

Electroactive morphing effects on the aerodynamic performance through wobulation around an A320 wing with vibrating trailing edge at high Reynolds number

This study aims to investigate the effects of electroactive morphing on a 70cm chord A320 wing by means of near trailing edge slight deformation and vibration. Wing morphing is performed by Macro Fiber Composites (MFC) piezoelectric actuators distributed along the span of the “Reduced Scale” (RS) prototype of the H2020 European research project “Smart Morphing and Sensing for aeronautical configurations” - (SMS). The configuration studied corresponds to a low-subsonic regime (Mach number 0.063) with a 10∘ incidence and a Reynolds number of 1 Million. The numerical simulations are carried out with the Navier-Stokes Multi-Block (NSMB) solver, which takes into account the deformation of the rear part of the wing implemented experimentally with the piezoelectric actuators. A detailed physical analysis of the morphing effects on the wake dynamics and on the aerodynamic performance is conducted with a constant amplitude of 0.7mm over a wide range of actuation frequencies [10-600]Hz. Optimal vibration ranges of [180-192]Hz and [205-215]Hz were found to respectively provide a 1% drag reduction and a 2% lift-to-drag ratio increase compared to the non-morphing (static) configuration. The natural frequencies associated with the shear layer Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) vortices and the Von-Kármán (VK) vortex shedding were found to play a central role in the modification of the wake dynamics by morphing as well as in the increase of the aerodynamic performance. Actuating at (or close to) the upper shear layer (USL) natural frequency (∼185Hz) provides an order of 1% drag reduction and 1% lift-to-drag ratio increase, while actuating at (or close to) the lower shear layer (LSL) natural frequency (∼208Hz) provides an order of 8% lift increase and 2% lift-to-drag increase. Furthermore, the linear modulation in time of the actuation frequency (wobulation) demonstrated, through an appropriate mapping, the ability to quickly and efficiently detect optimal constant actuation frequency ranges providing aerodynamic performance increase and simultaneously reducing the amplitude of the main instability modes.

Properties of the jet in M87 revealed by its helical structure imaged with the VLBA at 8 and 15 GHz

ABSTRACT We present full-track high-resolution radio observations of the jet of the galaxy M87 at 8 and 15 GHz. These observations were taken over three consecutive days in 2009 May using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), one antenna of the Very Large Array (VLA), and the Effelsberg 100 m telescope. Our produced images have dynamic ranges exceeding 20 000:1 and resolve linear scales down to approximately 100 Schwarzschild radii, revealing a limb-brightened jet and a faint, steep spectrum counter-jet. We performed jet-to-counter-jet analysis, which helped estimate the physical parameters of the flow. The rich internal structure of the jet is dominated by three helical threads, likely produced by the Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability developing in a supersonic flow with a Mach number of approximately 20 and an enthalpy ratio of around 0.3. We produce a clean imaging bias-corrected 8–15 GHz spectral index image, which shows spectrum flattening in regions of helical thread intersections. This further supports the KH origin of the observed internal structure of the jet. We detect polarized emission in the jet at distances of approximately 20 milliarcseconds from the core and find Faraday rotation which follows a transverse gradient across the jet. We apply Faraday rotation correction to the polarization position angle and find that the position angle changes as a function of distance from the jet axis, which suggests the presence of a helical magnetic field.