Abstract: A new idea of using the parabolized stability equation (PSE) method to predict laminar-turbulent transition is proposed. It is tested in the prediction of thelocation of transition for compressible boundary layers on flat plates, and the results are compared with those obtained by direct numerical simulations (DNS). The agreement is satisfactory, and the reason for this is that the PSE method faithfully reproduces the mechanism leading to the breakdown process in laminar-turbulent transition, i.e., the modification of mean flow profile leads to a remarkable change in its stability characteristics.

Key words: parabolized stability equations, direct numerical simulations, transition, breakdown