Novel Experimental Collection of High Quality Missile Plume Flowfield Data & Model Validation

The accurate prediction of missile plume signatures within the afterburning shutdown regime plays a crucial role in the development of a number of missile defense technologies for Boost Phase Defense for the Department of Defense (DoD). These include algorithms for system typing, tracking, and the development of critical sensor parameters such as noise equivalent target thresholds. However, current state-of-the-art predictive codes cannot accurately represent the evolution of plume signatures through the afterburning shutdown regime. This results from an inadequate understanding of the associated physics and absence of supportive laboratory flowfield data that correlate flowfield measurements with simultaneous measurements of plume infra-red (IR) emissions. The Phase II program will collect new data sets in the CUBRC LENS II tunnel, under equivalent flight conditions using a subscale engine that replicates flight observations of plume shutdown. State-of-the-art non-intrusive diagnostic measurements of afterburning plumes will be performed at simulated altitudes, and companion measurements of IR emissions will be obtained. The tests will be closely supported by CFD simulations to ensure that the entire afterburning cessation envelope is covered during the tests. The data acquired will be used to improve the predictive capabilities of plume CFD models in the afterburning shutdown regime