Leading-edge energy transfer governs flutter onset of a pitching finite wing in low-Reynolds number flows
Flutter onset is determined by the sign of the aerodynamic work on the structure, but cycle-integrated work does not reveal where this energy transfer originates. We perform direct numerical simulations of incompressible flow over an aspect-ratio-two NACA 0015 wing pitching at $Re=1000$ and use lobe-resolved force-moment partitioning to identify the vortical contributions to aeroelastic power. The net energy transfer changes sign near $U^*=4.25$. Across this transition, the upper leading-edge contribution changes from damping at $U^*=2$ to excitation near onset and becomes the largest positive contribution at $U^*=6$. Near the stability boundary, positive leading-edge work is nearly balanced by negative trailing-edge work. This change is accompanied by a reorganization of the leading-edge pressure footprint and a reduction in the phase difference between aerodynamic moment and pitch rate, linking flutter onset to the timing of the leading-edge vortex system. A single slowly growing-amplitude simulation recovers the finite-amplitude energy boundary, while a free-pitching calculation confirms the predicted instability. As the motion approaches its limit cycle, the energy pathways redistribute, and a response-frequency-matched forced calculation reproduces the large-amplitude energy budget. These results distinguish the mechanism that triggers flutter from that which saturates the response and identify the leading edge as a natural target for flutter suppression.