Reynolds number effect on separation structures at normal shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction

An experiment on normal shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction is analyzed. The experiment is performed on a convex wall in a narrow wind tunnel at a wall Mach number Afw = 1.47 for the Reynolds numbers Re, x 1<T = 5.5; 9.7; 13.1; 15.3. The experiments indicate that due to this interaction the separated flowfield is highly three-dimensional. Static wall pressure measurements, pitot and static pressure surveys and *Zm pictures support and complement a topological analysis of the flowfield structure based on oil-flow ±ZL. The non'unioue dependence between a three-dimensional separated flowfield structure and ,ts ol. flow pattern is emphasized. The complex topology of the separated flowfield is analyzed exhibiting a pronounced asymmetry with increasing Reynolds number.