On the Sound Sources of the Screech Tone Radiated From Circular Underexpanded Jet Oscillating in the Helical Mode

The generation mechanism of the screech tone in the helical oscillation mode is investigated using a series of instantaneous photographs. From the photographs, six evanescent sound sources are observed as prominent points along the jet axis. These sound sources move along circular orbits in the planes perpendicular to the jet axis and slightly downstream of the rear edges of each shock cell. The speed of moving sound sources is supersonic and moving Mach cones generated behind the moving sound sources form helical-shaped wave front of the screech tone. Existence of the moving Mach cones about the jet axis was confirmed by comparing schlieren photographs and drawings of the envelopes of the moving Mach cones. The helical vortical structure appears to overlap on the envelopes of the moving Mach cones.Copyright © 2003 by ASME