AIAA JOURNAL, cilt.39, sa.5, ss.865-876, 2001 (SCI-Expanded)
High-image-density particle image velocimetry is employed to determine the instantaneous and averaged features of distortion of vortex breakdown incident on a stationary and an oscillating leading edge. It is demonstrated that the onset of vortex breakdown can be advanced or retarded substantially, depending on the period of the edge oscillation relative to the inherent frequency of vortex breakdown. These features are interpreted with the aid of global representations of averaged and rms distributions of velocity, vorticity, and Reynolds stress, as well as a cinema sequence of instantaneous patterns of velocity and vorticity. Moreover, instantaneous, whole-field images in a cinema sequence allow evaluation of global representations of spectra and cross spectra, providing further insight into the central mechanisms that dictate the surface loading of the edge.