Spring 2023 Seminar Series: Steven Miller

Overview of Aeroacoustic Sources from Rockets for Prediction of Radiation Intensity and Coherence 

Rocket engines produce intense noise and vibrations from their jet exhaust that can damage the rocket or launch pad and cause annoyance in surrounding communities. Reducing this noise and vibration is crucial for safe launches and community acceptance. In this study, we examine the physics and math behind the intense waves produced by rocket exhaust. We discuss the multiple sources of noise, including turbulence and turbulent-shock wave interactions, and how they couple with the rocket fuselage and launch pad. We present a mathematical theory that can predict the acoustic-based vibrations on the fuselage from high-speed rocket flights. Our approach, which utilizes the cross-power spectral density acoustic analogy, is a simplification of Lighthill’s analogy and can directly predict near-field statistics at multiple spatial points. This approach can be applied to predict loading and coherence on the fuselage of aircraft, rockets, and associated structures, helping designers minimize sonic fatigue or failure in flight-vehicles and support structures.  

About the Presenter

Steven A. E. Miller, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 

Steven A. E. Miller, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Florida and leads the Theoretical Fluid Dynamics and Turbulence Group. He conducts research in theoretical fluid dynamics, theoretical aeroacoustics, and related disciplines in conjunction with his students. His students have obtained positions in government service, industry, and academics. He joined the University of Florida in August of 2016. Prior to joining the University of Florida, for seven years he was a Research Aerospace Engineer at NASA Langley Research Center. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University, and studied statistics briefly at Taganrog State University, Russia. Notable awards are the DARPA Faculty Award for analytical prediction of the hypersonic near-field, the NASA Early Career Achievement Medal for theoretical jet aeroacoustics, and was previously a USAF Faculty fellow for combustion instability. He enjoys opera, art history, and scientific history.