Abstract: The spatial evolution of 2-D disturbances in supersonic sharp cone boundary layers was investigated by direct numerical simulation (DNS) in high order
compact difference scheme. The results suggested that, although the normal velocity in the sharp cone boundary layer was not small, the evolution of amplitude and phase for small amplitude disturbances would be well in accordance with the results obtained by the linear stability theory (LST) which supposes the flow was parallel. The evolution of some finite amplitude disturbances was also investigated, and the characteristic of the evolution was shown. Shocklets were also found when the amplitude of disturbances increased over some value.

Key words: disturbance, direct numerical simulation, shocklet, supersonic sharp cone boundary layers