Experimental and numerical nonequilibrium flow studies

Experimental and numerical studies of the nonequilibrium shock layer around cones in hypersonic pure oxygen flows are reported. Experimental conditions are such that rotational, vibrational, and dissociation relaxation occur simultaneously. Attention is given to the effect of coupled relaxation on the flow properties in the shock layer. The phenomenological models of Hammerling et al., and Treanor and Marrone predict the flowfield qualitatively correct. However, quantitative differences in shock geometry and density distribution are appreciable. Better quantitative agreement with experiment is reached if in these models a temperature dependent efficiency of C>2 and O in the relaxation processes is assumed.