The document outlines a potential new Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) focused on "Energetic Processes in Gaseous Media". The objective is to identify, characterize, model, and exploit mechanisms of energy transfer in gases to enable innovations for the Air Force. Key areas of interest include nonequilibrium high-temperature flows, turbulence phenomena impacting jets and aerodynamics, and rate-dependent stability processes. Researchers are encouraged to submit white papers describing proposed efforts to advance the state-of-the-art for consideration to submit full proposals.

1. Current BAA – FY12<br />Aerothermodynamics and Turbulence<br />The objective of the aerothermodynamics and turbulence portfolio is to develop the fundamental fluid physics knowledge base required for revolutionary advancements in Air Force capabilities including, but not limited to, Efficient Long-Range Access, Rapid Global Strike and Responsive Space Access. Research supported by this portfolio seeks to characterize, model and exploit/control critical fluid dynamic phenomena through a balanced mixture of investments in experimental, numerical and theoretical efforts. <br />Innovative research is sought in all aspects of turbulent and aerothermodynamic flows with particular interest in the following areas:<br />Characterization and modeling of the coupled dynamics, thermodynamics and chemistry of nonequilibrium flows, including fundamental processes in high-temperature gas-surface interactions. Innovative insight into the control and exploitation of energy transfer within the flowfield is of particular interest. (Note: Combustion processes are addressed by other portfolios and are not within the scope of interest.)

2. Shock/Boundary Layer and Shock-Shock Interactions

3. Laminar-turbulent stability, transition and turbulence in high-Mach number boundary layers, especially approaches leading to greater insight into surface heat transfer.