Plasma Based Energy Deposition for Mitigation of Sonic Boom Experiment to demonstrate viability - Wind Tunnel Test, Year 2

The SPARC project aims to show that the electric arc generated at the nose of a cone-cylinder body in supersonic flow can significantly affect the shock wave generated at the nose of the body in the far field. For this year, we planned to complete the ground testing of our test article and plan and execute a wind tunnel test. However we were unable to achieve the required axisymmetric distribution of plasma at the nose of the model in supersonic flow. This axisymmetric distribution is necessary in order to demonstrate significant shock wave attenuation in the near field. We eventually figured out that the material which we were using as the outer body of our model was preventing the magnetic fields of the magnets inside the models, from propagating to the electric arc at the tip. We were able to change the material and show that we can spin the arc when the model was in stagnant air. However when air was flowing over the model, the arc would no longer spin. We are currently working on determining the requirements necessary for the arc to spin in supersonic flow.