Reattachment
Sometimes, a separated flow will reattach, as illustrated in Fig. 3.4. This is particularly likely to happen if the boundary layer was laminar when it separated. After separation, the layer tends to become turbulent and thus more able to tolerate an adverse pressure gradient.
Between the points of separation and reattachment, a region of recirculating air, known as a separation bubble, is formed, as shown in Fig. 3.4. Many aerofoils show a tendency to produce such a bubble. The lifting properties are not affected, as long as the bubble is sustained.