Global modal/non-modal analysis of high-enthalpy Martian entry vehicles
Abstract
We analyze laminar-to-turbulent transition over a blunt capsule representative of Martian entry at Mach 26 using global modal and transient-growth analyses about a thermochemical base flow characteristic of high-altitude entry conditions. Across the Reynolds-number range considered (Re∞ = 104--106), the axisymmetric global eigenspectrum remains stable, ruling out temporally unstable axisymmetric global modes as a viable route to transition. The flow nevertheless supports strong transient growth concentrated in the shear--entropy layer generated by bow-shock curvature. Energy-budget analysis reveals a two-stage process: Reynolds-stress production in the mean shear first amplifies kinetic disturbances, which then generate entropy fluctuations as they traverse the strong base-flow entropy gradient. The optimal gain scales linearly with the Reynolds number based on the capsule nose radius, whereas boundary-layer-localized disturbances become competitive at the highest Reynolds numbers examined. These results identify shear--entropy-layer transient growth as a plausible linear pathway for seeding transition in high-enthalpy blunt-entry vehicles.
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BibTeX
@misc{antonalvarez2026global,
title = {{Global modal/non-modal analysis of high-enthalpy Martian entry vehicles}},
author = {Adrián Antón-Álvarez and Adrián Lozano-Durán},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.28885},
eprint = {2609.28885},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.28885},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Global modal/non-modal analysis of high-enthalpy Martian entry vehicles
AU - Adrián Antón-Álvarez
AU - Adrián Lozano-Durán
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.28885
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.28885
AB - We analyze laminar-to-turbulent transition over a blunt capsule representative of Martian entry at Mach 26 using global modal and transient-growth analyses about a thermochemical base flow characteristic of high-altitude entry conditions. Across the Reynolds-number range considered (Re_∞ = 10^4--10^6), the axisymmetric global eigenspectrum remains stable, ruling out temporally unstable axisymmetric global modes as a viable route to transition. The flow nevertheless supports strong transient growth concentrated in the shear--entropy layer generated by bow-shock curvature. Energy-budget analysis reveals a two-stage process: Reynolds-stress production in the mean shear first amplifies kinetic disturbances, which then generate entropy fluctuations as they traverse the strong base-flow entropy gradient. The optimal gain scales linearly with the Reynolds number based on the capsule nose radius, whereas boundary-layer-localized disturbances become competitive at the highest Reynolds numbers examined. These results identify shear--entropy-layer transient growth as a plausible linear pathway for seeding transition in high-enthalpy blunt-entry vehicles.
ER -