Phononic subsurface for controlling hypersonic flow

Abstract

A phononic material includes an interface surface and a subsurface feature mechanically connected to the interface surface. When a hypersonic flow having at least one instability flows past the interface surface, the interface surface vibrates in response to one or more frequency components of the pressure. The interface surface couples each frequency component into the subsurface feature, which at least partially reflects and phase-shifts each frequency component to generate a corresponding phase-shifted frequency component. The interface surface vibrates in response to the phase-shifted frequency component, thereby coupling the phase-shifted frequency component back into the hypersonic flow. The phase-shifted frequency component interferes with said each frequency component within the hypersonic flow. The subsurface feature may perform phase-shifting such that the phase-shifted frequency component destructively interferes with said each frequency component, thereby reducing the at least one instability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.