Uncertainties in hot-wire measurements of compressible turbulent flows implied by comparisons with laser-induced fluorescence

A hot-wire anemometer and a new nonintrusive laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique are used to survey a Mach 2 turbulent boundary layer. The hot-wire anemometer's ability to accurately measure mass flux, temperature, and density fluctuations in a compressible flow is examined by comparing its results with those obtained using LIF. Several methods of hot-wire calibration are used, and the uncertainties in their measurements of various fluctuating flow parameters are determined. The results show that although a hot-wire operated at high overheat can measure mass flux fluctuations, temperature and density fluctuations are not determined accurately from such measurements. However, a hot-wire operated at multiple overheats can be used to measure static and total temperature fluctuations. The presence of pressure fluctuations and their correlation with density can prevent the use of hot-wire data to determine density fluctuations.