ASA 130th Meeting - St. Louis, MO - 1995 Nov 27 .. Dec 01

3aPAb1. Initial measurements of sound propagation through turbulence in a wind tunnel.

Randall W. Smith

Russell E. Henrichs

Appl. Res. Labs., Univ. of Texas, 10,000 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78713

Outdoor experiments of sound propagation through atmospheric turbulence are complicated by the difficulty of making sufficient measurements to fully characterize the flow field. Therefore the authors have initiated a series of experiments in a wind tunnel. The wind tunnel provides a means of creating various inhomogeneous flow fields through which to propagate sound. These wind tunnel flows are more easily measured and characterized than the atmospheric boundary layer. The goal of the experiments is to examine in detail the propagation of sound through increasingly complex flow fields, and to understand the effect of large-scale coherent turbulent motions on sound propagation. This presentation provides an overview of the experimental setup, a discussion of scaling issues, and preliminary analysis of data from the initial experiments. Some of the lessons learned from these initial experiments also will be discussed.