Studies using wind tunnel to simulate the Atmospheric Boundary Layer at the Alcântara Space Center

The Alcântara Space Center (ASC) region has a peculiar topography due to the existence of a coastal cliff, which modifies the atmospheric boundary layer characteristic in a way that can affect rocket launching operations. Wind tunnel measurements can be an important tool for the understanding of tur...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Luciana P. Bassi Marinho, Ana Cristina Avelar, Gilberto Fisch, Suelen T. Roballo, Leandro Franco Souza, Ralf Gielow, Roberto da Mota Girardi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial 2009-01-01
Series:Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jatm.com.br/papers/vol1_n1/v01n91a98_studies_using_wind_tunnel_to_simulate_the_atmospheric_boundary_layer_at_the_alcantara_space_center.pdf
Description
Summary:The Alcântara Space Center (ASC) region has a peculiar topography due to the existence of a coastal cliff, which modifies the atmospheric boundary layer characteristic in a way that can affect rocket launching operations. Wind tunnel measurements can be an important tool for the understanding of turbulence and wind flow pattern characteristics in the ASC neighborhood, along with computational fluid dynamics and observational data. The purpose of this paper is to describe wind tunnel experiments that have been carried out by researchers from the Brazilian Institutions IAE, ITA and INPE. The technologies of Hot-Wire Anemometer and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) have been used in these measurements, in order to obtain information about wind flow patterns as velocity fields and vorticity. The wind tunnel measurements are described and the results obtained are presented.
ISSN:1984-9648
2175-9146