  The self-excited spanwise homogeneous perturbations arising in
shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction (SWBLI) system formed in a hypersonic
flow of molecular nitrogen over a double wedge are investigated using the
kinetic Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The flow has transitional
Knudsen and unit Reynolds numbers of 3.4 x 10$^{-3}$ and 5.2 x 10$^4$ m$^{-1}$,
respectively. Strong thermal nonequilibrium exists downstream of the Mach 7
detached (bow) shock generated due to the upper wedge surface. A linear
instability mechanism is expected to make the pre-computed 2-D base flow
potentially unstable under spanwise perturbations. The specific intent is to
assess the growth rates of unstable modes, the wavelength, location, and origin
of spanwise periodic flow structures, and the characteristic frequencies
present in this interaction.
