Spatial marching with subgrid-scale local exact coherent structures in non-uniformly curved channel flow

Abstract: We propose a novel multiple-scale spatial marching method for flows with slow streamwise variation. The key idea is to couple the boundary region equations, which govern large-scale flow evolution, with local exact coherent structures that capture small-scale dynamics. This framework is consistent with high-Reynolds-number asymptotic theory and offers a promising approach to construct time periodic finite amplitude solutions in a broad class of spatially developing shear flows. As a first application, we consider a non-uniformly curved channel flow, assuming that a finite-amplitude travelling wave solution of plane Poiseuille flow is sustained at the inlet. The method allows for the estimation of momentum transport and highlights the impact of the inlet condition on both the transport properties and the overall flow structure. We then consider a case with gradually decreasing curvature, starting with Dean vortices at the inlet. In this setting, small external oscillatory disturbances can give rise to subcritical self-sustained states that persist even after the curvature vanishes.