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Bow shock perturbations in a Mach 5 air flow, produced by low-temperature, nanosecond pulse, and surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), are detected by phase-locked schlieren imaging. A diffuse nanosecond pulse discharge is generated in a DBD plasma actuator on a surface of a cylinder model placed in air flow in a small scale blow-down supersonic wind tunnel. Discharge energy coupled to the actuator is 7.3-7.8 mJ/pulse. Plasma temperature inferred from nitrogen emission spectra is a few tens of degrees higher than flow stagnation temperature, T = 340 ± 30 K. Phase-locked Schlieren images are used to detect compression waves generated by individual nanosecond discharge pulses near the actuator surface. The compression wave propagates upstream toward the baseline bow shock standing in front of the cylinder model. Interaction of the compression wave and the bow shock causes its displacement in the upstream direction, increasing shock stand-off distance by up to 25%. The compression wave speed behind the bow shock and the perturbed bow shock velocity are inferred from the Schlieren images. The effect of compression waves generated by nanosecond discharge pulses on shock stand-off distance is demonstrated in a single-pulse regime (at pulse repetition rates of a few hundred Hz) and in a quasi-continuous mode (using a two-pulse sequence at a pulse repetition rate of 100 kHz). The results demonstrate feasibility of hypersonic flow control by low-temperature, repetitive nanosecond pulse discharges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter discusses the effect of nitric oxide on gain and output power of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen iodine laser. Adding small amounts of NO to the laser mixture (a few hundreds of ppm) considerably increases gain and output power due to (i) O atom titration and resultant slower I* atom quenching and (ii) improved stability of the dc sustainer discharge, which allows stable operation at significantly higher discharge powers. Gain on the 1315 nm iodine atom transition and laser power in the M=3 transverse laser cavity are 0.049%/cm and 1.24 W, at a flow temperature of T=100 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter discusses operation of an electric discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser using a high-pressure, non-self-sustained pulser-sustainer discharge. Small signal gain on the 1315 nm iodine atom transition and the laser output power are measured in the M=3 supersonic cavity downstream of the discharge section. In a 15% O2–85% He mixture, at a discharge pressure of 60 torr and discharge power of 1.5 kW, the highest gain measured in the M=3 cavity is 0.022%/cm, at the flow temperature of T=100±10 K. At these conditions, the laser output power is 0.28 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]