Propellant combustion response to oscillatory radiant heat flux

An introductory progress report is given on a research project to use the microwave Doppler velocimeter technique to measure the combustion response to an oscillating thermal radiation source (laser). The objective is to relate the measured burning rate response to the thermal radiation to an equivalent oscillation in pressure using existing thermal combustion theory. The test system is described, and the results of an initial test series on the composite propellant A-13 are presented.