Normal shock wave coherence relative to other flow events with high and low levels of inlet Mach wave unsteadiness

Considered are interactive relationships between a normal shock wave and the downstream shock wave leg of the associated lambda foot, as well as between a normal shock wave and time-varying static pressure as measured along the bottom surface of the test section. Such relationships are investigated as they vary with two different magnitudes of inlet unsteady Mach wave intensity and are characterized using shadowgraph flow visualization data, as well as power spectral density, magnitude-squared coherence, and time lag data. Employed for the investigation is a specialty test section with an inlet Mach number of 1.54, as utilized within a transonic/supersonic wind tunnel. The resulting data provide evidence of distinct interactions over a wide range of frequencies between the normal shock wave and the downstream shock wave leg of the lambda foot for low inlet unsteady Mach wave intensity. Note that these are not present in the same form and over the same ranges of frequency with high inlet unsteady Mach wave intensity. These differences are partially due to the location where flow events originate. The most significant sources of flow unsteadiness within the present investigation are mostly associated with the normal and oblique shock waves (with low inlet unsteady Mach wave intensity), and mostly with inlet flow disturbances from unsteady Mach waves (with high inlet unsteady Mach wave intensity). The present experimental results additionally evidence important connections between the normal shock wave and unsteady flow events within lower portions of the lambda foot, especially near the adjacent boundary layer separation region.