A kind of fast changing coherent structure in a turbulent boundary layer

Coherent structures of a turbulent boundary layer were investigated by hydrogen bubble method. A kind of fast changing structure was observed. That is a spot in which all the hydrogen bubbles vanish much faster than in other regions. This investigation verified that dark-spot is formed by a strong sweep from outer layer. Inside a dark-spat the local instantaneous flow speed might be four times of its neighboring high-speed streaks. Comparing with the low/high speed streaks, both dark-spot and the vortical structures around it are changing very fast. Around dark-spot intensive shear layers are formed and indications of the generation of small-scale structures could be observed.