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Preface
ob jective
This book is intended as a general reference for the physics, concepts, theories, and models underlying
the discipline of aerodynamics. An overarching theme is the technique of velocity field representation and
modeling via source and vorticity fields, and via their sheet, filament, or point-singularity idealizations.
These models provide an intuitive feel for aerodynamic flow behavior, and are also the basis of aerodynamic
force analysis, drag decomposition, flow interference estimation, wind tunnel corrections, computational
methods, and many other important applications.
This book covers some topics in depth, while offering introductions or summaries of others. In particular,
Chapters 3,4 on Boundary Layers, Chapter 7 on Unsteady Aerodynamics, and Chapter 9 on Flight Dynamics
are intended as introductions and overviews of those topics, which deserve to be properly treated in separate
dedicated texts. Similarly, there are only glancing mentions of the related topic of Propulsion, which is its
own discipline.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and computational methods in general are indispensable for today’s
practicing aerodynamicist. Hence a few computational methods are described here, primarily the vortex lattice
and panel methods which are based on the source and vorticity flow-field representation. The main goal
is to provide improved understanding of the concepts and physical models which underlie such methods.
Most of this book is based on the lecture notes, handouts, and reference materials which have been developed
for the course Flight Vehicle Aerodynamics (course number 16.110) taught by the author at MIT’s
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. This course is intended for first-year graduate students, but
has also attracted a significant number of advanced undergraduates.
Preparation
This book assumes that the reader is well versed in basic physics and vector calculus, and already has had
exposure to basic fluid mechanics and aerodynamics. Hence, little or no space is devoted to introduction or
discussion of basic concepts such as fluid velocity, density, pressure, viscosity, stress, etc. Chapter 1 on the
Physics of Aerodynamics Flows is intentionally concise, since it is intended primarily as a reference for the
underlying physical principles and governing equations of fluid flows rather than as a first introduction to
these topics. The author’s course at MIT begins with Chapter 2.
Some familiarity with aerodynamics and aeronautics terminology is assumed on the part of the reader. However,
a summary of advanced vector calculus notation is given in Appendix A, since this is not commonly
seen in basic vector calculus texts.