Solid State Focused Schlieren for Hypervelocity Projectile Imaging

OKSI proposes the use of a CCD imaging system with a customized burst mode clocking scheme that easily meets the imaging speed requirements up to Mach 10 and above. Under Phase-I OKSI will assemble a focused Schlieren system, including a customized CCD camera, lighting, trigger source with delay electronics (to sync the CCD camera with projectile position) and demonstrate the ultra fast imaging operations in a local gun firing range. While the projectile speed may only be slightly over Mach 1, the imaging system will be operated at the speed required for the HHSTT Mach 10 conditions (largely over-sampling the projectile and associated flow field scene). Under Phase-II, the focused Schlieren system will be upgraded to the HHSTT conditions, adequate pulsed lighting system set up, and a prototype system with data acquisition be developed and delivered to the Air Force.