An Experimental Investigation of Blast-driven Turbulence
Benjamin Musci, Georgia Institute of Technology
A facility is being built in the Georgia Tech Shock and Advanced Mixing Lab to study blast-driven turbulence. Motivated by the discrepancies observed between actual and modeled supernovae, this facility aims to resolve the important spatial scales in the extensive mixing of the outer layers. These outer layers will be modeled by subjecting two or three gases of varying densities to a blast wave generated by exploding bridge wires. The blast wave's interaction with perturbations at the gaseous, membrane-less interfaces will induce the Richtmeyer-Meshkov or Rayleigh-Taylor instability, depending on the acceleration history and perturbation amplitude. Through the use of simultaneous Particle Image Velocimetry and Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence, this project aims to determine the effect of interface initial conditions on turbulence. A 2-D diverging wedge and 3-D diverging conical tube are being built to enable repeatable blast-wave production, continuous optical viewing of the flow, reproducible multi-layer interface creation, and the collection of simultaneous density-velocity measurements to directly measure turbulent quantities. The preliminary analysis informing the design of this facility, the construction progress, and updates on newly realized design constraints are presented.
Abstract Author(s): Benjamin Musci