Magneto-Aerodynamic Hypersonics
Abstract
Favorable interactions of electromagnetic fields and weakly ionized air for flow control have been recognized since the late 1950s. Potential applications of flow control to hypersonic flight vehicles were recently demonstrated by Russian research and concepts. The scientific knowledge base of this interdisciplinary area (i.e., fluid dynamics, electromagnetics, and chemical and thermal nonequilibrium gas dynamics) is extremely sparse. Therefore, controversy and even misunderstandings are abundant in the research community. This report documents the in-house research project that was initiated to develop a validated magneto-aerodynamic hypersonic analysis capability. The project combined experimental and computational simulations of high-speed gas dynamics in order to verify the scientific findings and define the usable scope for practical hypersonic flight. Sponsorship was provided by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) as part of an Entrepreneurial Research Initiative over the period 3 January 1999 through 30 September 2003.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA419720
Entities
People
- F. Witzeman
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory