College of Aeronautical Engineering, CAE

National University of Sciences and Technology,

NUST

Muhammad Muzafar
Roll Number: 362501

Assignment No # 3
A review on Using the Schlieren photography
technique, advantages and applications

Submitted to: Dr. Mohtashim Mansoor

January 20, 2022

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

Contents:
1. Problem Statement ................................................................................................................ 3
2. Objectives: .............................................................................................................................. 3
3. Brief History: ......................................................................................................................... 3
4. Technology: ............................................................................................................................ 5
4.1. Advancements in Technology: ...................................................................................... 5
5. Advantages: ............................................................................................................................ 6
6. Applications: .......................................................................................................................... 6
References:..................................................................................................................................... 7
1. Problem Statement
Carry out research on first air to air images of supersonic shockwave interaction in flight and write
a report on its objectives, technology, advantages, and applications.

2. Objectives:
NASA want to develop research aircraft quiet via Quiet supersonic technology (QueSST) later on
used for NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology project. By visualizing these complex flow
patterns of shockwaves produced by a supersonic vehicle will allow NASA researchers to validate
design tools used to develop the proposed QueSST research aircraft. QueSST will be the first ever
aircraft to demonstrate supersonic flight with the soft sonic “thump”, and could unlock the future
to commercial supersonic flight over land. The biggest challenge was trying to get the timing
correct to make sure the King Air, flying a pattern around 30,000 feet, had to arrive in a precise
position as the pair of T-38s passed at supersonic speeds approximately 2,000 feet below.
Meanwhile, the cameras, able to record for a total of three seconds, had to begin recording at the
exact moment the supersonic T-38s came into frame.

3. Brief History:
In 2015, NASA tested its first flights in demonstrating Background Oriented Schlieren using
Celestial Objects (BOSCO) technology, which successfully captured measurable images of
shockwaves with just one aircraft.

Figure 1: Shockwaves produced by a U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School T-38 banking at Mach 1.05 are captured by a new ground-
operated camera and filter to study flow patterns and provide NASA engineers with methods of furthering research toward
developing a soft “thump” in place of heavy sonic boom in September 2015.
NASA’s goal of developing a quiet supersonic aircraft is another step closer following a pair of
successful first flights in a series demonstrating patent-pending Background Oriented Schlieren
using Celestial Objects (BOSCO) technology, effectively using the sun as a background in
capturing unique, measurable images of shockwaves.

Figure 2:This Schlieren image of shockwaves created by a T-38C in supersonic flight was captured using the sun’s
edge as a light source and then processed using NASA-developed code in September 2015.

Improved image-processing technology makes it possible to capture hundreds of observations with

each shockwave, benefiting engineers in their efforts to develop a supersonic aircraft that will
produce a soft “thump” in place of a disruptive sonic boom.

Figure 3:Using the Schlieren photography technique, NASA was able to capture the first air-to-air images of the
interaction of shockwaves from two supersonic aircraft flying in formation in March 2019.
4. Technology:
Schlieren is a technique that can make important invisible flow features visible. NASA
improved schlieren captured the visual data of shockwaves produced by a U.S. Air Force
Test Pilot School's T-38 aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds. The tests used a camera
lens filter commonly used when photographing the sun, the filter, known as a hydrogen-
alpha solar filter was installed in one of three modified high-speed cameras positioned
strategically on the ground, and allowed visually fine details of the sun to be seen.

Figure 4: Schlieren System using knife edge

In order to capture the images, the King Air, flying a pattern around 30,000 feet, had to
arrive in a precise position as the pair of T-38s passed at supersonic speeds
approximately 2,000 feet below. Meanwhile, the cameras, able to record for a total of
three seconds, had to begin recording at the exact moment the supersonic T-38s came
into frame.
4.1. Advancements in Technology:
1. Avionics upgrade on the B-200 helps in matching the timing.
2. Camera able to capture data with a wider field of view.
3. A memory upgrade for the cameras, permitting researchers to increase the
frame rate to 1400 frames per second
4. A new installation system for the cameras, drastically reducing the time it took
to integrate them with the aircraft.
5. Advantages:
The data from the AirBOS flights will continue to undergo analysis

1. Helping NASA refine the techniques for these tests to improve data further, with
future flights potentially taking place at higher altitudes.
2. These efforts will help advance knowledge of the characteristics of shockwaves as
NASA progresses toward quiet supersonic research flights with the X-59, and closer
toward a major milestone in aviation.
3. AirBOS was flown as a sub-project under NASA’s Commercial Supersonic
Technology project.
4. AirBOS 4 flights featured an upgraded version of the previous airborne schlieren
systems, allowing researchers to capture three times the amount of data in the same
amount of time.

6. Applications:
1. The scientifically valid data gathered from these community overflights will be
presented to U.S. and international regulators, who will use the information to help
them come up with rules based on noise levels that enable new commercial markets
for supersonic flight over land.
2. New theories for stone disintegration favor the use of shock wave sources with
larger focal zones.
3. Underwater submarine and missile system
4. Update in missile system
References:
[1]. Shock wave technology and application: an update - PubMed (nih.gov)
[2]. PHOTOS: NASA Captures Shockwaves of Supersonic Aircrafts Using the Schlieren
Technique (yahoo.com) viewed on January 20, 2022.
[3]. NASA Advances Schlieren Imagery for Supersonic Aircraft | NASA viewed on January 20,
2022.