Destabilisation of stationary and travelling crossflow disturbances due to forward and backward facing steps over a swept wing

The destabilisation effects of forward and backward facing steps on crossflow (CF) disturbances on an infinite swept wing is investigated. Stationary and travelling CF-wave instability modulations, as they convect over the abrupt surface features, are investigated computationally with step heights ranging from 18% to 53% of the boundary layer thickness at chordwise locations of 10% and 20%. An embedded mesh approach is used to compute boundary layer base flow profiles over the swept wing with the high order spectral/hp element solver, Nektar++. Linear Stability Theory (LST), Parabolised Stability Equations (PSE) and Linearised Harmonic Navier–Stokes (LHNS) models are used to investigate the development of the convecting CF disturbances. LST is used to understand the instability parameter space and map out neutral curves. PSE equations fail to correctly capture the effects of the steps due to the strong short scale variations introduced whereas, the LHNS provide a rapid and more physics correct technique to ascertain flow destabilisation effects.