Advanced Laser Diagnostics Laboratory
Directors
Brian Thurow
Description
The facility specializes in the development and application of laser diagnostics for fluid dynamic measurements. Areas of specialization include high-repetition rate flow visualization (up to 1 million frames/sec) and three-dimensional imaging. The centerpiece of the laboratory is a custom-built pulse burst laser system with the ability to produce a burst of high-energy (~10-100 mJ) laser pulses at repetition rates up to 10 MHz. The laser, is an Nd:YAG base laser system and has been used in the past to make high-repetition rate planar flow visualization, particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar Doppler velocimetry (PDV) measurements in supersonic flow fields.