IEEE AESS ACT Seminar Measuring the Behaviour of Planetary Entry Wake Flows

#aerospace-engineering #australia #dynamics #jet-engines #SpaceEngineering #social #AESS

Title: Measuring the Behaviour of Planetary Entry Wake Flows

When: Tue 04-Aug-26 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Where: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MzkxOTlkYjItNmQzZC00MmM4LTkzMGYtZjFkNmE0OTVhYTU0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223ff6cfa4-e715-48db-b8e1-0867b9f9fba3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2254161dc0-27a7-4593-b943-bf35a0e00257%22%7d

Speaker: Prof. Sean O’Byrne from ANU

Abstract:

The flow behind a vehicle entering a planetary atmosphere is very challenging to model, because the density is very low, allowing the flow to slide along surfaces and because counter-rotating vortices are set up that can produce a range of possible flow configurations, as seen in the recent Artemis re-entry flights.  These conditions can, however, be investigated in the controlled conditions achieveable in hypersonic ground test facilities using laser-based measurement techniques.  This talk will summarise some of the measurement techniques that have been developed to investigate these fascinating flows.

Bio: Sean O'Byrne is the Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the Australian National University.  Prior to his ANU appointment in 2023, he worked at NASA Langly Research Centre in Virginia and for 20 years teaching engineers and doing research at the Australian Defence Force Academy.  His research interests have mostly been associated with the design of laser-based fluid sensing systems for high-speed flight, but he has also been involved with experiments on supersonic combustion ramjet engines and planetary entry physics, as well as the dynamics of short-duration plasmas.