Apparatus and method for non-intrusive off-body measurements in hypersonic flight experiments
First Claim
1. A method of measuring at least one component of freestream velocity for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one laser;
providing a plurality of cameras;
generating a laser-induced breakdown spark from the at least one laser at a point away from the vehicle;
positioning at least one neutral density filter between the cameras and the laser-induced breakdown spark;
using the plurality of cameras to monitor and capture a plurality of physical characteristics associated with the laser-induced breakdown spark over time; and
calculating at least one component of freestream velocity by using the monitored plurality of physical characteristics associated with the laser-induced breakdown spark.
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Abstract
An “air-data probe” system measures at least one component of freestream velocity by tracking the motion of a laser-induced breakdown (“LIB”) spark created in a freestream flow. Neutral density filters are positioned or deployed so that the brightness of the initial LIB spark doesn'"'"'t over saturate the LIB sensor system. This allows for more consistent tracking of the LIB spark throughout the duration of the LIB spark, including the later stages where the LIB spark is not nearly as bright as the initial LIB spark, thereby allowing all or substantially all of the light generated by the LIB spark to reach the sensors. This provides for enhanced visibility and more accurate detection of the LIB spark over time and as air density changes.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of measuring at least one component of freestream velocity for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one laser; providing a plurality of cameras; generating a laser-induced breakdown spark from the at least one laser at a point away from the vehicle; positioning at least one neutral density filter between the cameras and the laser-induced breakdown spark; using the plurality of cameras to monitor and capture a plurality of physical characteristics associated with the laser-induced breakdown spark over time; and calculating at least one component of freestream velocity by using the monitored plurality of physical characteristics associated with the laser-induced breakdown spark. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for measuring at least one component of freestream velocity comprising:
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a vehicle; at least one laser, the at least one laser producing a laser-induced breakdown spark at point away from the vehicle; a plurality of cameras contained within the vehicle, the plurality of cameras being positioned to monitor and capture a plurality of physical characteristics associated with the laser-induced breakdown spark over time; at least one neutral density filter positioned between the laser-induced breakdown spark and the plurality of cameras; and at least one component of freestream velocity calculated from the plurality of physical characteristics associated with the laser-induced breakdown spark over time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An aero-optical instrument comprising:
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one or more pulsed lasers generating a laser-induced breakdown spark; a plurality of optical components sufficient to collect light from the laser-induced breakdown spark after it passes through an aircraft boundary layer, the plurality of optical components conditioning and transmitting that light; one or more wavefront sensors measuring a plurality of wavefronts through the aircraft boundary layer based on the light collected from the laser-induced breakdown spark; and at least optical device positioned to capture and measure an amount of light produced by the laser-induced breakdown spark. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification