The electron-beam fluorescence technique for measurements in hypersonic turbulent flows

Abstract

The electron-beam fluorescence technique has been employed in measuring simultaneous density and temperature fluctuations in a hypersonic (M ≃ 16), adiabatic wall boundary layer. The paper discusses this technique, as it is applied to the conditions of relatively high density associated with turbulent flows. It presents general considerations concerning the attainable frequency response and spatial resolution of the technique. It describes results from initial measurements in a boundary layer on a wind-tunnel wall. These results show that the r.m.s. of the density, temperature and pressure fluctuations are large, much larger than observed in supersonic boundary layers.