Assessment of Hypersonic Flow Physics on Aero-Optics

Physics and Computation of Aero-Optics

This article provides a critical review of aero-optics with an emphasis on recent developments in computational predictions and the physical mechanisms of flow-induced optical distortions. Following a brief introduction of the fundamental theory and key concepts, computational techniques for aberrating flow fields and optical propagation are discussed along with a brief survey Annu. Rev. Fluid ...

Laminar and Turbulent Aero Heating Predictions over Blunt Body in Hypersonic Flow

In the present work, an engineering method is developed to predict laminar and turbulent heating-rate solutions for blunt reentry spacecraft at hypersonic conditions. The calculation of aerodynamic heating around blunt bodies requires alternative solution of inviscid flow field around the hypersonic bodies. In this paper, the procedure is of an inverse nature, that is, a shock wave is assumed a...

Numerical Methods in Aero-optics

Fluid dynamics and aero-optics of turrets

A summary of research efforts for last several years on fluid-dynamics and aero-optics of hemisphereon-cylinder turrets with flat and conformal windows is presented. The topology of flow behind turrets and both steady and unsteady sources of optical distortions are discussed. Scaling laws for levels of optical aberrations are proposed and results of several experimental studies are compared and...

In-flight aero-optics of turrets