Boundary layer effect on thermal NO decomposition behind incident shock waves

The thermal decomposition of nitric oxide (diluted in Argon) has been measured behind incident shock waves by means of IR diode laser absorption spectroscopy. In two independent runs the diode laser was tuned to the=0 =1² _3/2 R(18.5)-rotational vibrational transition and the=1 =2² _3/2 R(20.5)-rotational vibrational transition of nitric oxide, respectively. These two transitions originating from the vibrational ground state (=0) and the first excited vibrational state (=1) were selected in order to probe the homogeneity along the absorption path. The measured NO decomposition could satisfactorily be described by a chemical reaction mechanism after taking into account boundary layer corrections according to the theory of Mirels. The study forms a further proof of Mirels' theory including his prediction of the laminar-turbulent transition. It also shows, that the inhomogeneities from the boundary layer do not affect the IR linear absorption markedly.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag T_EX Shock Waves macro package 1.0 and the AMS fonts, developed by the American Mathematical Society.