Abstract
THE sodium-line reversal method of measuring temperature, commonly used for flames1, has been adapted to a study of the temperature distribution behind shock waves in a conventional shock tube. In the short times available, visual or photographic methods are impracticable but, with a photomultiplier and oscillograph, time-resolved records can be made. Using a direct-current ‘Pointolite’ lamp as background, we have measured temperatures in the range 2,000–2,900° K. for shocks through air, nitrogen and oxygen. By studying the records at various background temperatures, the temperature of the shock-heated gases could be determined within about ± 20°, or better than 1 per cent. An extension to higher temperatures appears possible by using arc sources as background.
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References
Gaydon, A. G., and Wolfhard, H. G., “Flames, their Structure, Radiation and Temperature” (Chapman and Hall, London, 1953).
Glass, I. I., Martin, W., and Patterson, G. N., “A Theoretical and Experimental Study of the Shock Tube”, U.T.I.A. Report No. 2 (1953).
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CLOUSTON, J., GAYDON, A. & GLASS, I. Temperature Measurements of Shock Waves by the Spectrum-Line Reversal Method. Nature 181, 1325–1326 (1958). https://doi.org/10.1038/1811325a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1811325a0
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