https://sam.ensam.eu:443 The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:24:06 GMT 2026-07-12T12:24:06Z http://hdl.handle.net/10985/9011 Numerical Study of the Effect of Freestream Turbulence on by-pass Transition in a Boundary Layer CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe We use direct numerical simulations in the presence of free-stream turbulence having different values of intensity, T u, and integral length scale, L, in order to determine which kind of structures are involved in the path to transition of a boundary-layer flow. The main aim is to determine under which conditions the path to transition involves structures similar to the linear or non-linear optimal perturbations. For high values of T u and L, we observe a large-amplitude path to transition characterized by localized vortical structures and patches of high- and low-momentum fluctuations. Such a scenario is found to correlate well with the L and hairpin structures resulting from the time evolution of non-linear optimal perturbations, whereas, for lower T u and L, a larger correlation is found with respect to linear optimal disturbances. This indicates that a large-amplitude path to transition exists, different from the one characterized by elongated streaks undergoing secondary instability. To distinguish between the two transition scenarios, a simple parameter linked to the streamwise localisation of high- and low-momentum zones is introduced. Finally, an accurate law to predict the transition location is provided, taking into account both T u and L, valid for both the transition scenarios. Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/9011 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe We use direct numerical simulations in the presence of free-stream turbulence having different values of intensity, T u, and integral length scale, L, in order to determine which kind of structures are involved in the path to transition of a boundary-layer flow. The main aim is to determine under which conditions the path to transition involves structures similar to the linear or non-linear optimal perturbations. For high values of T u and L, we observe a large-amplitude path to transition characterized by localized vortical structures and patches of high- and low-momentum fluctuations. Such a scenario is found to correlate well with the L and hairpin structures resulting from the time evolution of non-linear optimal perturbations, whereas, for lower T u and L, a larger correlation is found with respect to linear optimal disturbances. This indicates that a large-amplitude path to transition exists, different from the one characterized by elongated streaks undergoing secondary instability. To distinguish between the two transition scenarios, a simple parameter linked to the streamwise localisation of high- and low-momentum zones is introduced. Finally, an accurate law to predict the transition location is provided, taking into account both T u and L, valid for both the transition scenarios. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/8974 Investigation of the roughness-induced transition: global stability analyses and direct numerical simulations CHERUBINI, Stefania; LERICHE, Emmanuel; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe; LOISEAU, Jean-Christophe The linear global instability and resulting transition to turbulence induced by an isolated cylindrical roughness element of height h and diameter d immersed within an incompressible boundary layer flow along a flat plate is investigated using the joint application of direct numerical simulations and fully three-dimensional global stability analyses. For the range of parameters investigated, base flow computations show that the roughness element induces a wake composed of a central low-speed region surrounded by a three-dimensional shear layer and a pair of low- and high-speed streaks on each of its sides. Results from the global stability analyses highlight the unstable nature of the central low-speed region and its crucial importance in the laminar–turbulent transition process. It is able to sustain two different global instabilities: a sinuous and a varicose one. Each of these globally unstable modes is related to a different physical mechanism. While the varicose mode has its root in the instability of the whole three-dimensional shear layer surrounding the central low-speed region, the sinuous instability turns out to be similar to the von Kármán instability in the two-dimensional cylinder wake and has its root in the lateral shear layers of the separated zone. The aspect ratio of the roughness element plays a key role on the selection of the dominant instability: whereas the flow over thin cylindrical roughness elements transitions due to a sinuous instability of the near-wake region, for larger roughness elements the varicose instability of the central low-speed region turns out to be the dominant one. Direct numerical simulations of the flow past an aspect ratio 1 roughness element sustaining only the sinuous instability have revealed that the bifurcation occurring in this particular case is supercritical. Finally, comparison of the transition thresholds predicted by global linear stability analyses with the von Doenhoff–Braslow transition diagram provides qualitatively good agreement Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/8974 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania LERICHE, Emmanuel ROBINET, Jean-Christophe LOISEAU, Jean-Christophe The linear global instability and resulting transition to turbulence induced by an isolated cylindrical roughness element of height h and diameter d immersed within an incompressible boundary layer flow along a flat plate is investigated using the joint application of direct numerical simulations and fully three-dimensional global stability analyses. For the range of parameters investigated, base flow computations show that the roughness element induces a wake composed of a central low-speed region surrounded by a three-dimensional shear layer and a pair of low- and high-speed streaks on each of its sides. Results from the global stability analyses highlight the unstable nature of the central low-speed region and its crucial importance in the laminar–turbulent transition process. It is able to sustain two different global instabilities: a sinuous and a varicose one. Each of these globally unstable modes is related to a different physical mechanism. While the varicose mode has its root in the instability of the whole three-dimensional shear layer surrounding the central low-speed region, the sinuous instability turns out to be similar to the von Kármán instability in the two-dimensional cylinder wake and has its root in the lateral shear layers of the separated zone. The aspect ratio of the roughness element plays a key role on the selection of the dominant instability: whereas the flow over thin cylindrical roughness elements transitions due to a sinuous instability of the near-wake region, for larger roughness elements the varicose instability of the central low-speed region turns out to be the dominant one. Direct numerical simulations of the flow past an aspect ratio 1 roughness element sustaining only the sinuous instability have revealed that the bifurcation occurring in this particular case is supercritical. Finally, comparison of the transition thresholds predicted by global linear stability analyses with the von Doenhoff–Braslow transition diagram provides qualitatively good agreement http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6867 The onset of three-dimensional centrifugal global modes and their nonlinear development in a recirculating flow over a flat surface CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; ALIZARD, Frédéric; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The three-dimensional stability dynamics of a separation bubble over a flat plate has been studied in both linear and nonlinear conditions. Using a global eigenvalue analysis, two centrifugal global modes are identified: an asymptotically unstable three-dimensional weakly growing mode which appears to be originated by a Rayleigh instability; a marginally stable three-dimensional steady mode which is originated by a convective Gortler instability. Direct numerical simulations show that both modes play a role in the route to transition toward the turbulent flow. A structural sensitivity analysis is used to investigate the mechanism of selection of the path toward transition when small perturbations are considered. Finally, a scenario of transition via Gortler modes breakdown is studied in detail, revealing the formation of trains of hairpin vortices in streamwise succession. Publisher version : http://pof.aip.org/resource/1/phfle6/v22/i11/p114102_s1?isAuthorized=no Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6867 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro ALIZARD, Frédéric ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The three-dimensional stability dynamics of a separation bubble over a flat plate has been studied in both linear and nonlinear conditions. Using a global eigenvalue analysis, two centrifugal global modes are identified: an asymptotically unstable three-dimensional weakly growing mode which appears to be originated by a Rayleigh instability; a marginally stable three-dimensional steady mode which is originated by a convective Gortler instability. Direct numerical simulations show that both modes play a role in the route to transition toward the turbulent flow. A structural sensitivity analysis is used to investigate the mechanism of selection of the path toward transition when small perturbations are considered. Finally, a scenario of transition via Gortler modes breakdown is studied in detail, revealing the formation of trains of hairpin vortices in streamwise succession. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6861 Rapid path to transition via nonlinear localized optimal perturbations in a boundary-layer flow CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; BOTTARO, Alessandro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe Recent studies have suggested that in some cases transition can be triggered by some purely nonlinear mechanisms. Here we aim at verifying such an hypothesis, looking for a localized perturbation able to lead a boundary-layer flow to a chaotic state, following a nonlinear route. Nonlinear optimal localized perturbations have been computed by means of an energy optimization which includes the nonlinear terms of the Navier- Stokes equations. Such perturbations lie on the turbulent side of the laminar-turbulent boundary, whereas, for the same value of the initial energy, their linear counterparts do not. The evolution of these perturbations toward a turbulent flow involves the presence of streamwise-inclined vortices at short times and of hairpin structures prior to breakdown. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6861 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro BOTTARO, Alessandro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe Recent studies have suggested that in some cases transition can be triggered by some purely nonlinear mechanisms. Here we aim at verifying such an hypothesis, looking for a localized perturbation able to lead a boundary-layer flow to a chaotic state, following a nonlinear route. Nonlinear optimal localized perturbations have been computed by means of an energy optimization which includes the nonlinear terms of the Navier- Stokes equations. Such perturbations lie on the turbulent side of the laminar-turbulent boundary, whereas, for the same value of the initial energy, their linear counterparts do not. The evolution of these perturbations toward a turbulent flow involves the presence of streamwise-inclined vortices at short times and of hairpin structures prior to breakdown. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/9012 Nonlinear control of unsteady finite-amplitude perturbations in the Blasius boundary-layer flow CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The present work provides an optimal control strategy, based on the nonlinear Navier–Stokes equations, aimed at hampering the rapid growth of unsteady finite-amplitude perturbations in a Blasius boundary-layer flow. A variational procedure is used to find the blowing and suction control law at the wall providing the maximum damping of the energy of a given perturbation at a given target time, with the final aim of leading the flow back to the laminar state. Two optimally growing finite-amplitude initial perturbations capable of leading very rapidly to transition have been used to initialize the flow. The nonlinear control procedure has been found able to drive such perturbations back to the laminar state, provided that the target time of the minimization and the region in which the blowing and suction is applied have been suitably chosen. On the other hand, an equivalent control procedure based on the linearized Navier–Stokes equations has been found much less effective, being not able to lead the flow to the laminar state when finite-amplitude disturbances are considered. Regions of strong sensitivity to blowing and suction have been also identified for the given initial perturbations: when the control is actuated in such regions, laminarization is also observed for a shorter extent of the actuation region. The nonlinear optimal blowing and suction law consists of alternating wall-normal velocity perturbations, which appear to modify the core flow structures by means of two distinct mechanisms: (i) a wall-normal velocity compensation at small times; (ii) a rotation-counterbalancing effect al larger times. Similar control laws have been observed for different target times, values of the cost parameter, and streamwise extents of the blowing and suction zone, meaning that these two mechanisms are robust features of the optimal control strategy, provided that the nonlinear effects are taken into account. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/9012 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The present work provides an optimal control strategy, based on the nonlinear Navier–Stokes equations, aimed at hampering the rapid growth of unsteady finite-amplitude perturbations in a Blasius boundary-layer flow. A variational procedure is used to find the blowing and suction control law at the wall providing the maximum damping of the energy of a given perturbation at a given target time, with the final aim of leading the flow back to the laminar state. Two optimally growing finite-amplitude initial perturbations capable of leading very rapidly to transition have been used to initialize the flow. The nonlinear control procedure has been found able to drive such perturbations back to the laminar state, provided that the target time of the minimization and the region in which the blowing and suction is applied have been suitably chosen. On the other hand, an equivalent control procedure based on the linearized Navier–Stokes equations has been found much less effective, being not able to lead the flow to the laminar state when finite-amplitude disturbances are considered. Regions of strong sensitivity to blowing and suction have been also identified for the given initial perturbations: when the control is actuated in such regions, laminarization is also observed for a shorter extent of the actuation region. The nonlinear optimal blowing and suction law consists of alternating wall-normal velocity perturbations, which appear to modify the core flow structures by means of two distinct mechanisms: (i) a wall-normal velocity compensation at small times; (ii) a rotation-counterbalancing effect al larger times. Similar control laws have been observed for different target times, values of the cost parameter, and streamwise extents of the blowing and suction zone, meaning that these two mechanisms are robust features of the optimal control strategy, provided that the nonlinear effects are taken into account. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6868 Edge states in a boundary layer CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; BOTTARO, Alessandro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The understanding of laminar-turbulent transition in shear flows has recently progressed along new paradigms based on the central role of nonlinear exact coherent states. We follow such paradigms to identify, for the first time in a spatially developing flow, localized flow structures living on the edge of chaos, which are the precursors of turbulence. These coherent structures are constituted by hairpin vortices and streamwise streaks. The results reported here extend the dynamical systems description of transition to spatially developing flows. Publisher version : http://pof.aip.org/resource/1/phfle6/v23/i5/p051705_s1?isAuthorized=no Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6868 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro BOTTARO, Alessandro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The understanding of laminar-turbulent transition in shear flows has recently progressed along new paradigms based on the central role of nonlinear exact coherent states. We follow such paradigms to identify, for the first time in a spatially developing flow, localized flow structures living on the edge of chaos, which are the precursors of turbulence. These coherent structures are constituted by hairpin vortices and streamwise streaks. The results reported here extend the dynamical systems description of transition to spatially developing flows. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6866 The effects of non-normality and nonlinearity of the Navier–Stokes operator on the dynamics of a large laminar separation bubble CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The effects of non-normality and nonlinearity of the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes differential operator on the dynamics of a large laminar separation bubble over a flat plate have been studied in both subcritical and slightly supercritical conditions. The global eigenvalue analysis and direct numerical simulations have been employed in order to investigate the linear and nonlinear stability of the flow. The steady-state solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations at supercritical and slightly subcritical Reynolds numbers have been computed by means of a continuation procedure. Topological flow changes on the base flow have been found to occur close to transition, supporting the hypothesis of some authors that unsteadiness of separated flows could be due to structural changes within the bubble. The global eigenvalue analysis and numerical simulations initialized with small amplitude perturbations have shown that the non-normality of convective modes allows the bubble to act as a strong amplifier of small disturbances. For subcritical conditions, nonlinear effects have been found to induce saturation of such an amplification, originating a wave-packet cycle similar to the one established in supercritical conditions, but which is eventually damped. A transient amplification of finite amplitude perturbations has been observed even in the attached region due to the high sensitivity of the flow to external forcing, as assessed by a linear sensitivity analysis. For supercritical conditions, the non-normality of the modes has been found to generate low-frequency oscillations (flapping) at large times. The dependence of such frequencies on the Reynolds number has been investigated and a scaling law based on a physical interpretation of the phenomenon has been provided, which is able to explain the onset of a secondary flapping frequency close to transition. Publisher version : http://pof.aip.org/resource/1/phfle6/v22/i1/p014102_s1?isAuthorized=no Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6866 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The effects of non-normality and nonlinearity of the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes differential operator on the dynamics of a large laminar separation bubble over a flat plate have been studied in both subcritical and slightly supercritical conditions. The global eigenvalue analysis and direct numerical simulations have been employed in order to investigate the linear and nonlinear stability of the flow. The steady-state solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations at supercritical and slightly subcritical Reynolds numbers have been computed by means of a continuation procedure. Topological flow changes on the base flow have been found to occur close to transition, supporting the hypothesis of some authors that unsteadiness of separated flows could be due to structural changes within the bubble. The global eigenvalue analysis and numerical simulations initialized with small amplitude perturbations have shown that the non-normality of convective modes allows the bubble to act as a strong amplifier of small disturbances. For subcritical conditions, nonlinear effects have been found to induce saturation of such an amplification, originating a wave-packet cycle similar to the one established in supercritical conditions, but which is eventually damped. A transient amplification of finite amplitude perturbations has been observed even in the attached region due to the high sensitivity of the flow to external forcing, as assessed by a linear sensitivity analysis. For supercritical conditions, the non-normality of the modes has been found to generate low-frequency oscillations (flapping) at large times. The dependence of such frequencies on the Reynolds number has been investigated and a scaling law based on a physical interpretation of the phenomenon has been provided, which is able to explain the onset of a secondary flapping frequency close to transition. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/11634 Optimal bursts in turbulent channel flow FARANO, Mirko; CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe Bursts are recurrent, transient, highly energetic events characterized by localized variations of velocity and vorticity in turbulent wall-bounded flows. In this work, a nonlinear energy optimization strategy is employed to investigate whether the origin of such bursting events in a turbulent channel flow can be related to the presence of high-amplitude coherent structures. The results show that bursting events correspond to optimal energy flow structures embedded in the fully turbulent flow. In particular, optimal structures inducing energy peaks at short time are initially composed of highly oscillating vortices and streaks near the wall. At moderate friction Reynolds numbers, through the bursts, energy is exchanged between the streaks and packets of hairpin vortices of different sizes reaching the outer scale. Such an optimal flow configuration reproduces well the spatial spectra as well as the probability density function typical of turbulent flows, recovering the mechanism of direct-inverse energy cascade. These results represent an important step towards understanding the dynamics of turbulence at moderate Reynolds numbers and pave the way to new nonlinear techniques to manipulate and control the self-sustained turbulence dynamics. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/11634 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z FARANO, Mirko CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe Bursts are recurrent, transient, highly energetic events characterized by localized variations of velocity and vorticity in turbulent wall-bounded flows. In this work, a nonlinear energy optimization strategy is employed to investigate whether the origin of such bursting events in a turbulent channel flow can be related to the presence of high-amplitude coherent structures. The results show that bursting events correspond to optimal energy flow structures embedded in the fully turbulent flow. In particular, optimal structures inducing energy peaks at short time are initially composed of highly oscillating vortices and streaks near the wall. At moderate friction Reynolds numbers, through the bursts, energy is exchanged between the streaks and packets of hairpin vortices of different sizes reaching the outer scale. Such an optimal flow configuration reproduces well the spatial spectra as well as the probability density function typical of turbulent flows, recovering the mechanism of direct-inverse energy cascade. These results represent an important step towards understanding the dynamics of turbulence at moderate Reynolds numbers and pave the way to new nonlinear techniques to manipulate and control the self-sustained turbulence dynamics. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6862 Sensitivity and optimal forcing response in separated boundary layer flows ALIZARD, Frédéric; CHERUBINI, Stefania; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The optimal asymptotic response to time harmonic forcing of a convectively unstable two-dimensional separated boundary layer on a flat plate is numerically revisited from a global point of view. By expanding the flow disturbance variables and the forcing term as a summation of temporal modes, the linear convective instability mechanism associated with the response leading to the maximum gain in energy is theoretically investigated. Such a response is driven by a pseudoresonance of temporal modes due to the non-normality of the underlying linearized evolution operator. In particular, the considered expansion on a limited number of modes is found able to accurately simulate the linear instability mechanism, as suggested by a comparison between the global linear stability analysis and a linearized direct numerical simulation. Furthermore, the dependence of such a mechanism on the Reynolds number and the adverse pressure gradient is investigated, outlining a physical description of the destabilization of the flow induced by the rolling up of the shear layer. Therefore, the convective character of the problem suggests that the considered flat plate separated flows may act as a selective noise amplifier. In order to verfy such a possibility, the responses of the flow to the optimal forcing and to a small level of noise are compared, and their connection to the onset of self-excited vortices observed in literature is investigated. For that purpose, a nonlinear direct numerical simulation is performed, which is initialized by a random noise superposed to the base flow at the inflow boundary points. The band of excited frequencies as well as the associated peak match with the ones computed by the asymptotic global analysis. Finally, the connection between the onset of unsteadiness and the optimal response is further supported by a comparison between the optimal circular frequency and a typical Strouhal number predicted by numerical simulations of previous authors in similar cases. Publisher version : http://pof.aip.org/resource/1/phfle6/v21/i6/p064108_s1?isAuthorized=no Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6862 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z ALIZARD, Frédéric CHERUBINI, Stefania ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The optimal asymptotic response to time harmonic forcing of a convectively unstable two-dimensional separated boundary layer on a flat plate is numerically revisited from a global point of view. By expanding the flow disturbance variables and the forcing term as a summation of temporal modes, the linear convective instability mechanism associated with the response leading to the maximum gain in energy is theoretically investigated. Such a response is driven by a pseudoresonance of temporal modes due to the non-normality of the underlying linearized evolution operator. In particular, the considered expansion on a limited number of modes is found able to accurately simulate the linear instability mechanism, as suggested by a comparison between the global linear stability analysis and a linearized direct numerical simulation. Furthermore, the dependence of such a mechanism on the Reynolds number and the adverse pressure gradient is investigated, outlining a physical description of the destabilization of the flow induced by the rolling up of the shear layer. Therefore, the convective character of the problem suggests that the considered flat plate separated flows may act as a selective noise amplifier. In order to verfy such a possibility, the responses of the flow to the optimal forcing and to a small level of noise are compared, and their connection to the onset of self-excited vortices observed in literature is investigated. For that purpose, a nonlinear direct numerical simulation is performed, which is initialized by a random noise superposed to the base flow at the inflow boundary points. The band of excited frequencies as well as the associated peak match with the ones computed by the asymptotic global analysis. Finally, the connection between the onset of unsteadiness and the optimal response is further supported by a comparison between the optimal circular frequency and a typical Strouhal number predicted by numerical simulations of previous authors in similar cases. http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6864 A purely nonlinear route to transition approaching the edge of chaos in a boundary layer CHERUBINI, Stefania; DE PALMA, Pietro; BOTTARO, Alessandro; ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The understanding of transition in shear flows has recently progressed along new paradigms based on the central role of coherent flow structures and their nonlinear interactions. We follow such paradigms to identify, by means of a nonlinear optimization of the energy growth at short time, the initial perturbation which most easily induces transition in a boundary layer. Moreover, a bisection procedure has been used to identify localized flow structures living on the edge of chaos, found to be populated by hairpin vortices and streaks. Such an edge structure appears to act as a relative attractor for the trajectory of the laminar base state perturbed by the initial finite-amplitude disturbances, mediating the route to turbulence of the flow, via the triggering of a regeneration cycle of Lambda and hairpin structures at different space and time scales. These findings introduce a new, purely nonlinear scenario of transition in a boundary-layer flow. Publisher version : http://iopscience.iop.org/1873-7005/44/3/031404 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10985/6864 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z CHERUBINI, Stefania DE PALMA, Pietro BOTTARO, Alessandro ROBINET, Jean-Christophe The understanding of transition in shear flows has recently progressed along new paradigms based on the central role of coherent flow structures and their nonlinear interactions. We follow such paradigms to identify, by means of a nonlinear optimization of the energy growth at short time, the initial perturbation which most easily induces transition in a boundary layer. Moreover, a bisection procedure has been used to identify localized flow structures living on the edge of chaos, found to be populated by hairpin vortices and streaks. Such an edge structure appears to act as a relative attractor for the trajectory of the laminar base state perturbed by the initial finite-amplitude disturbances, mediating the route to turbulence of the flow, via the triggering of a regeneration cycle of Lambda and hairpin structures at different space and time scales. These findings introduce a new, purely nonlinear scenario of transition in a boundary-layer flow.