Force generation by the wake of an axisymmetric cone at high angles of attack *

The contribution of different flow features in the wake of axisymmetric elongated bodies has been investigated here by relating the localized surface pressure to coherent flow structures. Direct numerical simulation is used to solve the flow over the axisymmetric cone for a wide range of angles of attack. For higher accuracy and resolution near the body, immersed boundary method with pseudo-body-conformal grids is employed. It is found that two near-wake stable primary vortices form in the separated shear layer, which induces reverse flow in the wake and initiates another two strong secondary vortical structures on the surface. For a higher angle of attack, the primary vortices become asymmetric and hence induce side forces. Using an extension of force portioning approach, we study the role of major vortical structures on the force generation and pressure distribution on the cone surface and find the asymmetry's origin.