Rotational and vibrational temperature measurements using CARS in a hypervelocity shock layer flow and comparisons with CFD calculations

Broadband single pulse coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) experiments employing a folded-box phase-matching geometry in a pulsed hypervelocity blunt body flow are presented. Rovibrational spectra of molecular nitrogen, produced in the freestream and within the shock layer at moderately high enthalpy (8.4 MJ/kg), are examined. Difficulties peculiar to the application of a single pulse optical technique to a high enthalpy pulsed flow facility are discussed and measurements of flow temperatures are presented. Theoretically calculated values for temperatures based upon algorithms used to determine freestream and shock layer conditions agree well with experimental measurements using the CARS technique. The measurements indicate that thermal non-equilibrium conditions exist within the freestream, and that near thermal equilibrium exists at the point of measurement within the shock layer. The comparison between the experiment and theory in the shock layer is improved by using the measured freestream temperatures as input to the shock layer computations.