Interferometric Studies of Supersonic Flows about Truncated Cones

Abstract

Fringe shifts on interferograms of flows at M = 2.45 about variously truncated 15° (half-angle) cone cylinders in free flight in a pressurized range have been examined for similarity of the flow fields, occurrence of scale effects, and convergence to conical flow. It was found that flows over similar objects with equal tip Reynolds numbers were similar and that convergence to conical flow occurred before the disturbance at the tip had been reflected the second time along characteristics to the body. Density distributions have been determined, and a number of comparisons have been made with theoretical predictions.