HOLOGRAPHIC PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY IN THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY ABOARD THE SPACE-SHUTTLE DISCOVERY

In January 1992 the Space Shuttle Discovery carried the first Internat ional Microgravity Laboratory into Earth orbit for eight days. One of the many experiments carried out during the orbit was a combined study of triglycine sulfate crystal growth from solution and fluid-particle -dynamics studies in microgravity. Optical diagnostics included holoca meras to provide concentration measurements and three-dimensional part icle tracking. More than 1000 holograms that were recorded in space ha ve been analyzed since the flight, providing a wide range of interesti ng conclusions about microgravity, crystal growth, and particle dynami cs. This paper focuses on the results of holographic particle-image ve locimetry experiments and provides an excellent example, along with ne w techniques, for exploiting holography for particle and flow diagnost ics. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America