Laser Rayleigh Scattering for Flow Density and Condensation Measurements in the Supercooled Mach-14 Free-Stream at AEDC Wind Tunnel No. 9

Abstract: Laser Rayleigh scattering was used to investigate clusters in the free-stream flow at Arnold Engineering Development Center’s Tunnel 9 (T9). The facility was run at Mach-14, with a pure-N2 flow medium, and at several total pressures and temperatures. Using an excimer laser operating at 248 nm, the Rayleigh instrument imaged scattering from the focused laser beam in the free-stream. As a wind-tunnel flow is accelerated, it cools and approaches the condensation boundary. As a precursor to conde…