High-Speed and High-Resolution Imaging for Research on Hypersonic Flow Structures

A veteran led engineering team constructed a hypersonic wind tunnel as part of a Naval STEMWorkforce training program in ONR Award N00014-18-1-2754, (PI, Dr. Peter Tkacik). ThisDURIP Proposal program will enhance the scientific research capability of UNC Charlo tteHypersonics and scientific education of UNC Charlotte engineering students through theintroduction of new high-speed imaging te chnology. In that role, it will replace our sixteen-yearoldRedlake camera and be used for training students in the MEGR 3245 Advan cedExperimental Methods course. We have an active DoD hiring program focused on the largecohort of military veterans in engineeri ng.Many of these students will be working in our Hypersonic Research Wind Tunnel both forresearch and to learn the skills needed f or this type of work. We are doing research and trainingresearchers in this field. We have experience in and will be using a Schlie ren Imaging system inour new Hypersonic Wind Tunnel for experiments to improve the understanding of boundarylayer physics in shock wave dominated flows around slender geometries with highly sweptfins. This is desirable according to ONR BAA Announcement #N00014-2 0-S-B001, focus area'Aerodynamics', detail area 'Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics, High-Speed Propulsion andMaterials'.