RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FLUID MECHANICS OF HYPERSONIC WAKES,
Abstract
During the last six years or so, a great deal of work has been done in an effort to understand the fluid mechanics of wakes developed behind bodies flying at hypersonic speeds in dense atmospheres. A review of this subject summarizing all relevant work up to about the end of 1964 was recently published. Until that time, very little experimental work was available, and some of the theoretical problems were being posed rather than solved. The present paper makes an attempt to present and critically evaluate the theoretical and experimental work on this subject as it appeared essentially after January 1965. The following areas are emphasized: theoretical and experimental work done to determine the flow characteristics in the fluid expansion after separation, in the free shear layer, and in the base, recirculation, and recompression regions; work on the mechanism of transition from laminar to turbulent flow in the wake; theoretical and experimental work dealing with the statistical properties of the turbulent intermittency region observed at the edge of the turbulent wake core; and finally, work related to the understanding of the chemistry of production and removal of free electrons in the presence of compressible wake turbulence. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0642286
Entities
People
- Paul S. Lykoudis
Organizations
- RAND Corporation