An investigation of supersonic turbulent boundary layers on slender bodies of revolution in free flight by use of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and shadowgraphs

Abstract

Report presenting a study of slender bodies of revolution in free flight at Mach numbers 3.2 and 3.6, which were photographed and analyzed to obtain the turbulent-boundary-layer density distributions for the case of a body surface that is cold compared to recovery temperature. Results regarding density profiles, density distributions, comparison with the Crocco equation, calculation of the heat-transfer rate, and observations of the turbulent-boundary-layer image structure from shadowgraphs, and relation the interferometer results are provided.