On the receptivity of first and cross-flow modes in hypersonic sharp wing flows

A long-standing conceptual debate regarding the identification and independence of first Mack and cross-flow instabilities is clarified over a Mach 5.9 sharp wing at zero angle of attack and varying sweep angles. Their receptivity of the boundary layers to three-dimensional slow acoustic and vorticity waves is investigated using linear stability theory, direct numerical simulation and momentum potential theory (MPT). Linear stability theory demonstrates that the targeted slow mode appears as the oblique first mode at small sweep angles ( $0^\circ$ and $15^\circ$ ) and transitions to the cross-flow mode at larger sweep angles ( $30^\circ$ and $45^\circ$ ). Direct numerical simulation indicates that both the oblique first mode and cross-flow mode share identical receptivity pathways: for slow acoustic waves, the pathway comprises ‘leading-edge damping–enhanced exponential growth–linear growth’ stages. For vorticity waves, it consists of ‘leading-edge damping–non-modal growth–linear growth’ stages. Momentum potential theory decomposes the fluctuation momentum density into vortical, acoustic and thermal components, revealing unified receptivity mechanisms: for slow acoustic waves, the leading-edge damping is caused by strong acoustic components generated through synchronization. The enhanced exponential growth stage is dominated by steadily growing vortical components, with acoustic and thermal components remaining at small amplitudes. For vorticity waves, leading-edge disturbances primarily consist of vortical components, indicating a distinct mechanism from slow acoustic waves. Non-modal stages originate from adjustments among MPT components. Vortical components dominate the linear growth stage for both instabilities. These uniform behaviours between first Mack and cross-flow modes highlight their consistency.