Experiments on Supersonic Jet Noise

The noise generated by a 1-in. supersonic jet was investigated at nominal jet Mach numbers of 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5. In particular, a quantity W, referred to as the apparent source strength per unit length, was determined along the jet axis using a directional microphone system. The integrated value of W along the jet axis was found to agree with the sound intensity obtained by a conventional microphone. This result is consistent with the a priori assumption that the jet may be described in terms of independent, spatially compact acoustic sources. The main finding of the investigation is the discovery of two distinct intense noise-producing regions in a jet having supersonic source velocities: the upstream region associated with Mach wave radiation, and a zone, located downstream of the potential cone, exhibiting radiation similar in character to that of a subsonic jet. An estimate of the radiated intensity associated with the Mach waves also is made.