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How to find patterns written in turbulent air

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Abstract

In molecular tagging velocimetry, patterns of tagged molecules are written in a flow using lasers. They can be lines, crosses or grids. When time proceeds, these patterns are deformed and displaced by the flow. The patterns are followed in time, and from their deformation and displacement, the velocity field can be deduced. In strongly turbulent flow, written lines may be severely deformed or even ruptured, and then, it becomes a challenge to find them in images. We discuss the technique of active contours to trace deformed lines and crosses in turbulence. These patterns can be used to measure the statistical properties of the flow. We illustrate our technique using a variant of molecular tagging in a turbulent flow of air in which NO molecules are formed from N2 and O2 using UV laser beams. A short while later, these patterns are visualized by inducing fluorescence of the NO molecules.

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Acknowledgments

This work is part of the research program of the ‘Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie (FOM)’, which is financially supported by the "Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO)." The authors are indebted to Margriet Verkuijlen, Thijs Elenbaas and Mira Pashtrapanska for providing data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, Postbus 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Willem van de Water

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Postbus 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Nico Dam

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  1. Willem van de Water
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  2. Nico Dam
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Correspondence to Willem van de Water.

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van de Water, W., Dam, N. How to find patterns written in turbulent air. Exp Fluids 54, 1574 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-013-1574-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-013-1574-7

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