Effect of riblets on the streaky structures excited by free stream tip vortices in boundary layer

In this study, experimental investigations were made regarding the effect of riblets on the streak instability in boundary layer. The streak instability is now regarded as a major source of the self-regeneration mechanism for the hairpin type coherent structures in turbulent boundary layer flow. Thus, it is important to control the instability to suppress the drag-inducing vortical structure in terms of drag reduction. Toward enhancing the measurement accuracy and spatial resolution, an enlarged version of riblets was applied to a streak which was artificially induced by a microwing in a laminar boundary layer. It is found that the riblets have attenuation effect on the streak instability, i.e., to reduce the spanwise velocity gradient of the quasi-streamwise streak in boundary layer