INVESTIGATION OF LEEWARD SIDE OF A DELTA WING AT HYPERSONIC SPEEDS

A series of experiments were performed at M equals 10 using a delta wing with sharp leading edges swept to 75**0. Surface oil-flow measurements and impact pressure data were acquired in the lee-side region. Analysis of the results led to a description of the principal features of the flowfield. Results of the impact pressure survey indicated that, to a good approximation, the flowfield was conical. A theoretical analysis in two dimensions was was utilized to calculate the inviscid flow properties. For wind angles of attack from ! equals 9 to 20**0 the flow field is dominatedy a shock-boundary layer interaction that causes a separation of most of the wing boundary layer. Separation of the boundary layer is caused by an imbedded oblique shock, which is inside the bow wave envelope and is positioned very nearly along a Mach cone from the wing apex. The surface flow between the wing leading edge and the separation line is attached and characterized by a two-dimensional Prandtl-Meyer expansion. The boundary layer, however, is very thick and interacts with the inviscid flow significantly.