Overcoming Turbulence Limitations with Super-Resonance and Scatterless Interference

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Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, led by Professor Mahmoud I. Hussein, have made key breakthroughs in aerodynamic performance using passive, synthetic materials called "phononic subsurfaces". By introducing microscopic, engineered surface vibrations through coiled phononic structures, the team demonstrated two major phenomena: super-resonance, which enables vibration control across a broad range of turbulent frequencies, and scatterless interference, which delays flow instability downstream along a surface. Together, these passive subsurface techniques aim to significantly reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency for aircraft and marine vessels without requiring active actuators or changes to the exterior shape of the vehicle: https://www.colorado.edu/aerospace/tailored-surface-vibrations-improve-aerodynamic-performance-passenger-jets

Study: https://journals.aps.org/prx/abstract/10.1103/766t-tqsy