Quantification of plasma using optical emission spectroscopy for hypersonic actuator research

The new era of flight has led to the development of more sophisticated technology to meet the needs of newer aircraft. One of these needs is a more advanced flow control system. The use of plasma as an actuator provides several advantages over the conventional mechanical counterparts, such as faster response times and lower likelihood of failure. Research was done by the High Speed Aeroacoustics Group of the National Center for Physical Acoustics using optical emission spectroscopy to quantify plasma parameters. Once these parameters are known, design and development of plasma flow control systems can be tested in a trisonic wind tunnel.