Laser-Generated Localized Freestream Perturbations in Supersonic and Hypersonic Flows

Abstract

An optical method for generating localized, controlled perturbations has been developed for use in supersonic and hypersonic ow elds. The thermal spot disturbance is generated when the pulsed beam from a laser is focused at the desired origin and a small region of the gas is ionized. After recombination, the thermal spot persists as a region of heated gas that convects with the local ow velocity. The perturbation is approximately spherical and several millimeters in diameter, with the size dependent on the flow density. Optimal formation of the perturbation is achieved with large-F-number focusing systems. To date, the disturbance has been used as a freestream perturbation for supersonic receptivity experiments as well as forward-facing cavity and blunt-body shock oscillation studies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA640131

Entities

People

  • John D. Schmisseur
  • Steven H. Collicott
  • Steven P. Schneider

Organizations

  • Purdue University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Blunt Bodies
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Flow
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Response
  • Hypersonic Flow
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Pulses
  • Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Perturbations
  • Shock Waves
  • Stagnation Temperature
  • Tubes
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Boundary Layers
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flow