Simon North
Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University
Friday, Feb. 3 | 11:45 a.m. | AERO 120
Abstract: An improved understanding of the interactions between fluid dynamics and thermal non- equilibrium (TNE) effects, which result from strong shocks, is critical in developing improved thermal protection systems for high-speed flight and improving combustion efficiency in air-breathing engines.
We have recently developed a diagnostic technique to enable the simultaneous measurement of velocity and scalars. The Vibrational Enhanced NO Monitoring (VENOM) technique allows simultaneous molecular tagging velocimetry (MTV) and rotational/translation thermometry. The technique has been employed in the Texas A&M University Actively Controlled Expansion (ACE) blow-down wind tunnel to characterize both laminar and turbulent hypersonic boundary layers.
Bio: Simon W. North received his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire and his Ph. D. from the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently a Professor, Head of the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, and Co-Director of the National Aerothermochemistry Laboratory.
His research program focuses on the study of molecular reaction dynamics, chemical kinetics, laser-based diagnostics development, and flow visualization. His group is interested in applications which improve our understanding of atmospheric photochemistry, tropospheric chemistry, combustion chemistry, interstellar chemistry, and energy transfer/kinetics in high speed flows.