Research in Hypervelocity Gasdynamics.

Abstract : The following important results were obtained from investigations of chemically reacting blunt body flows and of shock wave interactions in hypervelocity flow: (1) A new view of the binary scaling concept resulted from experimental and theoretical work on flow over spheres in terms of two dimensionless parameters. (2) The evolution of the vorticity generated by a curved shock wave could be visualized with resonant enhancement of streak lines.(3) The effect of recombination in flow along a streamline after a curved shock was explained.(4) Previous predictions of greatly enhanced heat flux by real gas effects in shock on shock interactions were not borne out. (5) The study provided extensive corroboration of the computed free stream conditions in the free piston shock tunnel T5. (6) A number of improvements of shock tunnel technology were made. especially regarding diaphragm manufacture, nozzle throat material, and computation of the processes during operation. (7) Improved diagnostic techniques were generated. including low noise coaxial thermocouple gauges and inexpensive high quality holographic interferometry.