Effect of lock-on frequency on vortex shedding in the cylinder wake

Vortex lock-on or resonance in the flow behind a circular cylinder is investigated from a time-resolved PIV when a single frequency oscillation is superimposed on the mean incident velocity. Measurements are made of the $K\acute{a}rm\acute{a}n$ and streamwise vortices in the wake-transition regime at the Reynolds number 360. Streamwise vortices at the lock-on and natural shedding states are observed, as well as the changes in the wake region with the change of the shedding frequency of lock-on state. When lock-on occurs, the vortex shedding frequency is found to be half the oscillation frequency as expected from previous experiments. At the lock-on state, the $K\acute{a}rm\acute{a}n$ vortices are observed to be more disordered by the increased strength and spanwise wavelength of the streamwise vortices, which leads to a strong three-dimensional motion. Recirculation and vortex formation region at the lock-on state is reduced as the oscillating frequency is increased. By comparing the Reynolds stresses at the lock-on and natural shedding states, $\bar{u'u'}\;and \;\bar{u'u'}$ at the lock-on state are concentrated on the shear layer around the cylinder. The $\bar{u'u'}\;at\;f_o/f_n=2.0$ has a large value near the centerline, compared with that of other cases. Considering the traces of maximum of u', in the wake region near the cylinder, wake width at the lock-on state is wider than that at the natural shedding state.