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DTSTART:20260101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260209T111500
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260209T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260202T091939Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T061202Z
UID:10000113-1770635700-1770642000@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Ph.D. (Engg) : Multi-Agent Coordination using Convex Formations and Binary Tree Structures
DESCRIPTION:Multi-agent systems are increasingly deployed in missions involving large-scale tasks with complex objectives that are beyond the capability of a single agent. Such missions demand computationally efficient coordination strategies that ensure safety\, reliable operation\, and ease of implementation\, particularly in dynamic and uncertain environments. This thesis investigates coordination strategies in multi-agent systems\, specifically addressing the problems of distribution of agents on an enclosing boundary\, cooperative target capture and containment\, and traversal through constrained spaces.\n\nThe first part of the thesis presents a convex layer-based strategy that assigns collision-free paths to a swarm of point-sized agents to reach an enclosing circular boundary. Leveraging the construction of convex layers from the initial positions of agents\, a novel search space for an agent on a convex layer is defined as an angular region enclosed between the lines passing through the agent’s position and normal to its supporting edges. A goal assignment policy is proposed\, which designates a unique goal position on the boundary within the search space of an agent. Subsequently\, the proposed framework is extended to polygonal boundaries\, considering disc-shaped agents. Therein\, the proposed policy assigns a goal position to each agent in order of decreasing overlap between their search spaces and the polygonal boundary\, while excluding angular regions corresponding to already assigned goal positions. Further\, a layer-wise speed assignment rule is proposed\, which ensures collision-free trajectories for the agents. Simulation studies assess the proposed method under various real-world considerations\, including the finite size of the agents\, a six-degree-of-freedom quadrotor model\, uncertainties in initial position information\, and communication delays.\n\nIn the second part\, the problem of multiple pursuers engaging a single evader is considered in two complementary scenarios. Firstly\, the problem of capturing the evader in an unbounded region is addressed. As the key construct\, the evader’s proximity region is characterized by the region generated by the Voronoi diagram constructed using the positions of the pursuers and the evader. Pursuers’ velocity inputs are deduced as a function of the position and velocity of the vertices of the evader’s proximity region and the evader. A motion policy is proposed that directs the vertices of the evader’s proximity region toward its centroid\, under which the region is analytically shown to shrink exponentially over time\, irrespective of the evader’s motion policy. In addition\, using the Chebyshev radius of the proximity region\, an upper bound on the time of evader capture is derived. Simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method under various evader maneuvers and in scenarios where evader position information is noisy. In a scenario complementary to evader capture\, a containment problem is considered\, wherein multiple pursuers are desired to encapsulate a moving evader. Considering the engagement between the evader and the centroid of the convex hull of pursuers\, a variable deviated pursuit guidance law is proposed\, which achieves a tail-chase rendezvous between the evader and the centroid. Subsequently\, a cooperative control strategy is presented\, which drives the convex hull of pursuers to confine the evader through a prescribed edge while preserving the formation rigidity. Simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method under various evader maneuvers.\n\nThe final part of the thesis addresses the problem of sequential traversal of multiple UAVs through a narrow gap. A hierarchical binary tree is constructed with its nodes defined by the UAVs’ initial positions and the gap entry point\, presenting a routing framework that provides an ordered sequence of waypoints to each UAV. A cost function is formulated that accounts for the UAV path lengths and the angles between branches at the tree nodes\, and a binary tree is constructed by minimizing that cost using a genetic algorithm coupled with a greedy strategy. In conjunction\, a decentralized scheduling policy is proposed\, in which each UAV is assigned conflict-free time slots at nodes that are identified with potential collisions. Simulation scenarios illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method\, and Monte Carlo studies assess its scalability.\n\nOverall\, the thesis presents deterministic and computationally efficient multi-agent coordination strategies by leveraging ideas from convex geometry and binary trees. Experimental flight trials on a nano-quadrotor platform are also conducted\, further demonstrating the practicality of the proposed coordination methods.\n\nSpeaker : Gautam Kumar \n\nResearch Supervisor : Ashwini Ratnoo
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/ph-d-engg-multi-agent-coordination-using-convex-formations-and-binary-tree-structures/
LOCATION:STC Seminar Hall\, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:Thesis Colloquium / Defence
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260211T150000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260211T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260203T104201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260203T104201Z
UID:10000114-1770822000-1770829200@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:AE Seminar-Dr Maanasa Bhat: Low-cost and Low-emissions Strategies for Resolving Challenges in the Hydrogen Supply Chain
DESCRIPTION:Abstract: \nThe Net Zero Emissions 2050 (NZE 2050) initiative sets an ambitious target to eliminate net CO2 within the next two decades. Achieving this goal demands widespread decarbonization across energy\, transportation\, residential\, and industrial sectors. Carbon-free and carbon-neutral fuels are central to this effort. Hydrogen\, an abundant\, high-energy-density\, carbon-free fuel is expected to play a critical role in this transition. While hydrogen is already used in sectors such as chemical production and refining\, expanding its role into transportation and electricity generation requires significant infrastructure development. Key challenges include improving production technologies\, enhancing storage safety\, enabling long-distance transport\, and ensuring economic viability. \nThe current talk discusses low-cost and low-emissions strategies to tackle challenges across three stages of the hydrogen supply chain: production\, storage\, and transportation. Both experimental methodology and big-picture techno-economic and life cycle analysis approaches are utilized as needed. For the production stage\, a low-cost spray synthesis method is investigated for manufacturing mixed metal oxides for potential catalyst use. For hydrogen storage\, improvement of operational safety is discussed by studying the development of highly sensitive hydrogen leak detection sensors working on the chemiresistive principle. For transportation\, a techno-economic and life cycle assessment of intercontinental hydrogen delivery from Australia to Japan is conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using hydrogen carriers such as methanol\, e-LNG and ammonia. Together\, these contributions present economically and environmentally viable strategies to support hydrogen infrastructure development by improving production efficiency\, ensuring safe storage\, and enabling long-distance transportation\, thereby accelerating progress toward NZE 2050 goals. \nAbout the Speaker: \nDr. Maanasa Bhat is a recent PhD graduate from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)\, Cambridge MA\, USA. She conducted her PhD research at the Deng Energy and Nanotechnology Group (PI: Prof. Sili Deng) and the MIT Energy Initiative (PI: Dr. Guiyan Zang). Her research focus is on the development of materials and processes for applications in energy storage and conversion. She is particularly interested in clean energy applications\, focusing on carbon-free fuels and Li-ion batteries. Her approach utilizes both experimental methodologies to tackle fundamental questions and techno-economic and life cycle analysis for problem-solving on a larger scale. She graduated with a Master of Technology (By Research) in 2019 from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Indian Institute of Science (IISc)\, Bengaluru. She was a recipient of the NASAS medal for best academic performance. She has a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from R.V College of Engineering\, Bengaluru. In addition to research\, she has a keen interest in community engagement and has served in leadership roles as the President of the Indian Students Association at MIT and Chairman of IISc Kannada Sangha Nityotsava.
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/ae-seminar-dr-maanasa-bhat-low-cost-and-low-emissions-strategies-for-resolving-challenges-in-the-hydrogen-supply-chain/
LOCATION:STC Seminar Hall\, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260217T110000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260217T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260213T055505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260213T055505Z
UID:10000115-1771326000-1771333200@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Ph.D. (Engg) :Experimental Investigation of Autoignition Pathways and Shock-Train Dynamics During Mode Transition in a Dual-Mode Supersonic Cavity Combustor
DESCRIPTION:Hypersonic propulsion systems capable of sustained atmospheric flight are critical enablers for future reusable launch vehicles\, long-range high-speed transport\, and responsive global strike platforms. Among the various air-breathing concepts\, scramjet engines offer unmatched efficiency at hypersonic speeds by utilizing atmospheric oxygen and avoiding the mass penalties associated with onboard oxidizers. However\, the practical realization of scramjet propulsion is fundamentally constrained by two interrelated challenges: reliable ignition and flame stabilization under extremely short residence times\, and robust operation across a wide flight envelope that necessitates smooth transition between supersonic (scramjet) and subsonic (ramjet) combustion modes. Dual-mode scramjets (DMSJ) are designed to address this requirement\, but their operability is limited by complex\, strongly coupled interactions between shock structures\, boundary-layer separation\, fuel-air mixing\, chemical kinetics\, and unsteady pressure fields during mode transition. A central difficulty in hypersonic combustors is that global flow conditions typically yield Damköhler numbers well below unity\, rendering conventional flame-holding ineffective. Localized enhancement of thermochemical coupling through elevated temperature\, pressure\, and residence time is therefore essential to initiate and sustain combustion. Cavity-based flameholders have emerged as a promising solution due to their passive\, low-drag configuration and ability to generate recirculation zones that promote autoignition and flame anchoring. Nevertheless\, cavity-stabilized combustors introduce additional challenges: strong sensitivity to geometry\, concentration of thermal loads\, susceptibility to unsteady shear-layer oscillations\, and complex coupling with shock-train dynamics during scram-to-ram transition. Despite extensive cold-flow investigations of isolator shock trains\, their behaviour under reacting\, high-enthalpy conditions where heat release actively modifies the flow remains insufficiently characterized. This doctoral research discusses a systematic experimental investigation of autoignition pathways\, flame stabilization mechanisms\, and shock-train dynamics in a cavity-stabilized dual-mode supersonic combustor. Experiments are conducted in a direct-connect high-enthalpy facility at the Advanced Propulsion Research Laboratory (APRL)\, Indian Institute of Science. The combustor operates at flight relevant conditions of total temperature of 1500 ± 30 K and static pressure of 43 kPa\, which corresponds to Mach 5.5 flight conditions at 28 km altitude. The experimental test article features an optically accessible supersonic combustor with a single/twin cavity configuration and is designed for an inlet Mach 2.5. Time-resolved Schlieren imaging\, CH* and C2* chemiluminescence\, and high-frequency wall-pressure measurements are employed to resolve unsteady flow-flame interactions governing ignition and mode transition. Two cavity geometries with identical depth but different length-to-height ratios (L/H = 5 and 8.5) were examined to quantify the influence of geometry on ignition robustness and shock–flame coupling. For the L/H = 5 configuration\, ethylene ignition occurred downstream in the diverging duct at a global equivalence ratio of ϕg ≈ 0.3\, followed by upstream flame propagation and eventual stabilization along the shear layer. In contrast\, the L/H = 8.5 cavity enabled earlier and more robust ignition upstream\, triggered by shock-assisted autoignition behind an X-type shock formed through interaction between the cavity reattachment shock and a top-wall separation bubble. The larger cavity generated stronger pressure deficits\, deeper shear-layer penetration\, and self-sustained oscillations at approximately 527 Hz\, highlighting the critical role of cavity geometry in enhancing local Damköhler numbers. Optical diagnostics technique of two-wavelength chemiluminescence (CH* and C2*) revealed ignition kernels forming preferentially in high-temperature lean regions before stabilizing near stoichiometric zones. Shock-induced compression was shown to significantly reduce ignition delay\, enabling autoignition even for fuels with substantially longer chemical timescales. Fuel-blending experiments established a limiting ignition-delay threshold\, providing quantitative guidance for fuel selection in practical hypersonic combustors. The scram-to-ram mode transition occurred at ϕg ≈ 0.58 for both geometries and was marked by the formation of a pre-combustion shock train\, initiated due to combustion induced boundary layer separation. The L/H = 8.5 cavity sustained stable ram-mode operation\, whereas the L/H = 5 configuration frequently reverted to early scram-mode behavior\, indicating weaker shock-flame coupling and reduced buffering capacity against back-pressure fluctuations. Scaling analysis of shock-train dynamics yielded Strouhal numbers (St) an order of magnitude lower than the reported values in the literature based on isothermal shock-train oscillation studies. This demonstrated the dominant influence of heat release and shock-train coupling. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis further revealed tight coupling between shock-train motion and upstream flame propagation\, identifying critical regions in the combustor with substantial heat release fluctuations. Finally\, symmetric dual-cavity configurations were explored to assess coupled shear-layer dynamics. While dual cavities enhance residence time\, their interaction introduces additional unsteady modes\, underscoring the need for geom etry-aware stabilization strategies. Overall\, this work directly addresses critical propulsion challenges for hypersonic vehicles by elucidating the mechanisms governing ignition reliability\, shock-assisted autoignition\, and mode-transition stability in cavity-based dual-mode scramjets. The findings provide mechanistic understanding and scalable design guidelines essential for the development of robust\, operable hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems. \n  \nSpeaker :  Sumit Lonkar \nResearch Supervisor: Pratikash Prakash Panda
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/ph-d-engg-experimental-investigation-of-autoignition-pathways-and-shock-train-dynamics-during-mode-transition-in-a-dual-mode-supersonic-cavity-combustor/
LOCATION:STC Seminar Hall\, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:Thesis Colloquium / Defence
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260223T160000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260223T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260220T070846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T070846Z
UID:10000116-1771862400-1771866000@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:"Aerospace power as a critical tool of statecraft”
DESCRIPTION:Air Marshal TD Joseph examines aerospace power as a critical instrument of statecraft\, highlighting\nits strategic\, coercive\, and diplomatic roles in modern conflict and international relations. The latest\nexample is India itself choosing aerospace power as the first instrument of choice to punish the\nenemy as in ‘Op Sindoor’. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples from conflicts across\nthe globe and India’s own operations as well as humanitarian relief missions\, he explains how\nairpower shapes outcomes through compellance\, deterrence\, and soft power applications. Synergy\nbetween aerospace and surface forces\, and technological asymmetry are critical to success. Air\npower lends itself to dual use in both hard and soft diplomacy as well as in nation building.\nUltimately\, aerospace power emerges as a decisive yet complementary tool for achieving national\nobjectives. \nSpeaker : Air Marshal TD Joseph\n\nBiography :\n\nAir Marshal TD Joseph\, AVSM\, VM\, VSM (Retd) was commissioned as a Fighter Pilot in the IAF\non 29th December 1982. He has flown various fighter and trainer aircrafts accumulating over 3800 hours of\nflying. \n\nThe Air Marshal has commanded a frontline Fighter Squadron\, the prestigious Flying Instructors’ School\, and\nAir Force Station Hindan\, near Delhi. He has held important Command and Staff appointments across the\ncountry in field and headquarter organisations. His last appointment was as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of\nTraining Command where he was responsible for ab-initio and in-service training of officers\, airmen and noncombatants\nof the entire IAF. \n\nHe is a Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor and an Instrument Rating Instructor & Examiner; alumnus\nNational Defence Academy\, Pune and DSSC Wellington. He attended Royal College of Defence Studies\,\nLondon\, has master’s Degrees from University of Madras and King’s College London\, and MPhil from\nUniversity of Madras. Besides graduating at the top of his Air Force Course\, the Air Marshal stood First in\nJungle & Snow Survival Course\, Instrument Rating Instructor &Examiner Course\, and Air Staff Course. \n\nAuthor of a book entitled “Winning India’s Next War” (2007)\, he has written chapters in edited books and other\npublished articles on air strategy and security. \n\nAir Marshal Joseph was conferred with the Presidential awards of Vayusena Medal in 2003\, Vishsisht Seva\nMedal in 2010 and Ati Vishsisht Seva Medal in 2021. The Air Marshal hung his blue uniform on 31st July 2021\nafter 38 ½ years of service. \n\nHe is married to Mrs Sophie Joseph\, an educator\, and they have two sons\, the elder one with the World Bank\,\nand the younger one\, an aviator with Indigo Airlines
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/aerospace-power-as-a-critical-tool-of-statecraft/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:AE Seminar
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260307T090000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260307T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260306T051722Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260306T051722Z
UID:10000118-1772874000-1772902800@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Aerospace Engineering Open Day 2026
DESCRIPTION:Indian Institute of Science\, Bengaluru\, as in the previous years\, is organizing an “OPEN DAY” event to show-case its activities to the student community and the general public on Saturday\, 07 March 2026 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. \nClick here for Mobile App QR Code (Only Android) \nClick here Mobile App QR Code (Only iOS)  \nClick here for Registration \nClick here for Public Transport \n 
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/aerospace-engineering-open-day-2026/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260309T093000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260309T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260304T103020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T103020Z
UID:10000117-1773048600-1773075600@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Statistical Discovery for Engineering and Science – a hands-on workshop using JMP®
DESCRIPTION:We are happy announce a one-day hands-on workshop using JMP in the Auditorium of Department of Aerospace Engineering\, IISc on 9th March. Please find below a brief information about the workshop. For a detailed information please visit our website https://abcmc.iisc.ac.in/events/\nOverall Objectives \nIntroduce JMP as a powerful\, user-friendly platform for data visualization\, statistical discovery\, research methods\, predictive modeling\, and Multivariate analysis.\nDemonstrate domain-specific applications of JMP. Facilitate hands-on learning through a practical workshop on Statistics\, Predictive Modeling and data visualization topics.\nHighlight the strategic value of integrating JMP into IISc’s teaching\, learning\, and research ecosystems. \nAbout JMP:\nJMP® (pronounced “jump”) is a powerful statistical discovery software designed for dynamic data visualization\, statistical analysis\, predictive modeling\, and design of experiments (DOE). First launched in 1989\, JMP is developed by SAS Institute Inc.\, a global leader in analytics based in Cary\, North Carolina\, USA.\nWidely used in Industry\, academia\, and research\, JMP combines a highly interactive\, visual interface with robust analytics to help users explore data\, uncover patterns\, and make informed decisions. Its intuitive\, drag-and-drop environment makes it especially popular among scientists\, engineers\, and data analysts who need to perform complex analyses without requiring extensive programming. \nWorkshop Facilitator: Muralidhara A\, PhD | Global JMP Team | 9986431959                                   Dr S. Nagendra\, Aerospace Engineering\, IISc. \nMuralidhara A is part of JMP Global Team. He holds a B Tech\, MBA\, and PhD. He has served more than 23 years in Analytics and Data Science Industry and worked for Genpact\, Target and Danske holding various leadership positions. He is also a trainer in Statistical Data Analysis\, Data Science & ML and DOE (Design of Experiments) and has conducted workshops for both academic and commercial organisations. He has authored many academic case studies and a co-author of the book Machine Learning for Business Analytics from Wiley International Publications. He continues to learn and share thoughts on Statistical Thinking for Problem solving. \nPlease register using the link given below before 6th of March. \nhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOMwQJFFXsGyEGuRjUNz7Ex1sb1um4RxEYoOayrirBtRksWA/viewform?usp=publish-editor \nRegistration to the workshop is free. Only limited seats\, please register at the earliest.
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/statistical-discovery-for-engineering-and-science-a-hands-on-workshop-using-jmp/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:Workshops / Conferences
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DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260416T110000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260416T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260413T094427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T094427Z
UID:10000119-1776337200-1776344400@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:M.Tech(Res) : Effect of hydrogen-enrichment on soot formation in laminar gaseous hydrocarbon flames
DESCRIPTION:Gaseous and particulate pollutants pose a significant threat to human health and the environment\, prompting regulatory action to address major sources of emissions. Soot is a key particulate pollutant. Recently\, emission standards for commercial aeroengines have been revised\, necessitating the mitigation of soot emissions. Investigating the soot formation process is a key step towards reducing emissions. Soot formation is a complex process that poses a challenge to the chemical kinetics community. Predicting soot is computationally expensive and challenging\, requiring reliable reduced mechanisms for practical fuels. The primary obstacle is the lack of systematic data to develop and validate chemical kinetics models for soot prediction. Hydrogen (H2) is being explored as a means to decarbonize the automotive\, aviation\, and power generation sectors. However\, implementing pure H2 in practical devices is difficult due to higher operating temperatures and flame speeds. Alternatively\, H2 can be blended into traditional hydrocarbon fuels. The addition of H2 influences the combustion chemistry of hydrocarbon fuels\, which consequently leads to changes in the composition of combustion products. The aviation industry uses practical fuels to form turbulent flames. However\, the complexity of practical fuels and flow fields makes it difficult to predict the concentrations of combustion emissions. A systematic study of soot formation in laminar gaseous-fuel flames can aid in developing reduced soot reaction mechanisms and understanding the soot formation process. This work reports a database of soot concentrations for C1–C4 hydrocarbons (methane\, ethane\, propane\, and butane) under laminar premixed and non-premixed conditions. Additionally\, the influence of H2 blending on soot formation is examined for these fuels. The parameters\, such as soot volume fraction (fv)\, distributions of soot precursors (PAH) and OH\, and gas temperature\, are measured using laser-based diagnostic techniques. The study of soot formation was performed on two different burner configurations: premixed and non-premixed. The premixed burner stabilized flames with φ = 2.3 were stabilized on the McKenna burner equipped with a stagnation plate. To ensure flame stability\, a mixture of O2 and Ar was used as the oxidizer. The reactant flow rates for test cases are selected such that the carbon influx (Cin)\, C/O ratio\, and O2 fraction in oxidizer are kept constant. The non-premixed flames were stabilized on a coflow burner. The flow conditions were selected to maintain a constant Cin\, thereby isolating the influence of Cin on soot. For both flame configurations\, H2 is added up to 40 % (by volume) to a base hydrocarbon fuel. H2 addition has three primary effects: thermal\, dilution\, and chemical. The chemical effect of H2 on soot is isolated using a reference flame\, created by replacing H2 with helium. The comparison of fv with this reference flame allows for the quantification of the chemical effect of H2 on soot. The fv is measured for both premixed and non-premixed flames by using the laser-induced incandescence (LII) technique. The distribution of PAH is measured using the planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique. Additionally\, for non-premixed flames\, the distributions of OH and the temperature field were measured using the PLIF technique. The elemental carbon-to-hydrogen ratio (C/H) governs the maturity of soot. The soot maturity changes with height above the burner (HAB)\, introducing a bias in LII measurements. The LII fluence curve trends with HAB in premixed flames are used to estimate the relative change in soot maturity. These trends along HAB are used to estimate relative changes in the optical properties of soot particles (E(m)). PAH are the precursors to soot formation. However\, interpreting PAH-LIF (IPAH) trends is challenging due to the dependence of LIF on temperature and quenching by combustion products. In this work\, an empirical approach is used to correct the IPAH in premixed flames for these dependencies. Additionally\, the extinction signature in radial IPAH profiles is used to obtain absorption-based PAH concentration. This approach mitigates the bias in interpreting the PAH trends in premixed flames. Soot volume fraction (fv) increases monotonically with carbon number (C1 to C4) for alkanes in both laminar premixed and non-premixed flames. The total soot loading parameter is used to examine the overall sooting tendency. The soot loading decreases relative to neat flames with H2-enrichment for all fuels. The extent of suppression of soot formation by H2 addition is greater in premixed flames than in non-premixed flames. Cin is examined relative to CxHy/He flames. It was observed that Cin is strongly dependent on the type of fuel. H2 enrichment inhibits pyrolysis in ethylene (alkene) fuel\, contributing to delayed soot onset relative to the helium reference flame. Conversely\, H2 promotes (relative to helium) pyrolysis in non-premixed C1–C4 alkane flames\, thereby enhancing soot. In premixed alkane flames\, H2 suppresses soot in the inception-dominated region but enhances soot in growth-dominated regions. This contrasts with ethylene flame\, where H2 reduces soot formation throughout HAB. These findings reveal the fuel-specific impact of H2 enrichment on soot formation\, providing a systematic dataset to support the validation of chemical kinetics models and the design of low-emission combustion systems. The performance of the state-of-the-art soot reaction mechanism to predict fv is assessed against measurements. Additionally\, chemical kinetics analysis is performed to examine the chemical effect of H2 on soot formation. \n  \nSpeaker : Choudhari Aditya Sunil  \nResearch Supervisor :  Irfan Ahmed Mulla
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/m-techres-effect-of-hydrogen-enrichment-on-soot-formation-in-laminar-gaseous-hydrocarbon-flames/
LOCATION:STC Seminar Hall\, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:Thesis Colloquium / Defence
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DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260427T090000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260427T140000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260424T050026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260425T074230Z
UID:10000120-1777280400-1777298400@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:TAAI – Trust for Advancement of Aerodynamics in India
DESCRIPTION:Bringing together the minds transforming emerging aerospace technologies into operational reality \n  \nFeatured Talks \n\n The Stratospheric Challenges for a High-Altitude Platform\n\nDr. L Venkatrakrishnan\, Chief Scientist and Program Director – HAP \nHigh Altitude Platforms (HAP) or High Altitude Pseudo Satellites which are unmanned aerial vehicles in the stratosphere are the next big challenge with applications including disaster monitoring\, telecommunication\, and military reconnaissance. The requirement for persistence demands endurance far beyond conventional aircraft leading to extremely high aspect ratios and low wing loading resulting in lightweight structures. The result is a flexible wing structure with wingtip deflection to semi-span ratio likely to exceed 10% during flight thereby impacting flight dynamics of the aircraft. Additionally the low Reynolds number regime poses significant aerodynamic challenges for both wing as well as propeller design. The talk will visit recent efforts presently underway at CSIR-NAL to address the challenges in the design and development of a HAP. \n  \n\n Next-Generation UCAVs and Loitering Munitions: Enabling Technologies\, Indigenous Development\, and Operational Integration Pathways\n\nDr. Shanmugadas K.P.\, Assistant Professor\, Mechanical Engg\, IIT Jammu \nThis talk presents a comprehensive overview of emerging technological trends shaping next-generation UCAVs and loitering munition systems\, with particular emphasis on indigenous development pathways aligned with Indian operational requirements. The discussion will cover system-level design considerations including propulsion selection\, aerodynamic configurations\, endurance–range trade-offs\, and mission optimization for contested environments. \nA key focus of the presentation will be on technology development initiatives being pursued through academia–startup–user collaboration frameworks\, highlighting ongoing research and prototyping efforts conducted in close interaction with the Indian Army and associated defence stakeholders. \n\n New Generation Aircraft Technologies for the Fourth Revolution in Aerospace\n\nDr. Rakshith Raghavan Belur\, Head of Flight Physics\, Airbus \nThe aerospace industry is entering its fourth major revolution – sustainability. Following the breakthroughs of enabling human flight\, ensuring safety\, and driving affordability\, the focus has now shifted to fundamentally reimagining aviation for a sustainable future. Airbus is at the forefront of this transformation\, pioneering new technologies\, aircraft configurations\, and design paradigms to meet ambitious environmental goals while sustaining operational excellence. \nThis talk will provide a glimpse into some of the critical technologies and innovations being developed at Airbus\, and how they are shaping the next era of aviation. \nYou need to register for the event at https://www.taai.org.in/ and registration is free. \nFor More Details Visit: www.taai.org.in \n 
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/taai-trust-for-advancement-of-aerodynamics-in-india/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260428T110000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260428T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260424T080555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260426T092339Z
UID:10000122-1777374000-1777381200@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Experiments on a fluidic pinball: wake dynamics in the chaotic regime
DESCRIPTION:Over the past decade\, the fluidic pinball has become a valuable benchmarkfor studying flow control strategies. The configuration consists of three independently rotating cylinders positioned at the vertices of an equilateral triangle\, with the flow directed perpendicularly to one of its sides. The cylinder rotation rates serve as the control inputs\, while velocity sensors located in the wake provide the outputs. Despite its geometric simplicity\, the wake behind the fluidic pinball displays complex interactions of multiple frequencies and nonlinear dynamics\, making it an excellent test case for the development and evaluation of control laws. While numerous studies have been performed numerically at low Reynolds numbers\, experimental literature is limited\, mainly due to the associated engineering challenges. \nThis study presents the findings from wind tunnel experiments on a fluidic pinball in the chaotic regime (1333 ≤ Re ≤ 3333). Planar two-component particle image velocimetry (PIV) is employed to capture the velocity field while the velocity time traces are obtained from hot-wire anemometry and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The stochastic bistable dynamics in the wake is characterized and its sensitivity to external disturbances is demonstrated. Coherent structures in the wake along with the associated temporal dynamics and their physical implications are analyzed for both the stationary pinball and the flow with steady\, open-loop forcing. The effect of blockage and evolution of 3D structures in the forced wake is discussed. A brief overview of the architecture set up for real-time control is also presented. \nSpeaker : Dr. Aditya Desai \nBiography : \nDr. Aditya Desai is a post-doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Numerical Sciences (LISN)- CNRS\, Orsay\,France working towards Reinforcement Learning-based control of a fluidic pinball. He completed his Master’s and PhD from the Department of Aerospace Engineering\, IIT Kanpur. His research interests are in the domain of experimental aerodynamics\, reduced order modelling and flow control\,  wakes\, vortex induce vibration and sports aerodynamics. He completed his BTech in Aerospace Engineering at IITK in 2009. \n  \n 
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/xperiments-on-a-fluidic-pinball-wake-dynamics-in-the-chaotic-regime/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:AE Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Aditya.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260429T110000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260429T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260424T045758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260426T090236Z
UID:10000121-1777460400-1777467600@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Precision in Flow: Advances in PIV\, Hematology\, and High-Heat Flux Cooling for Power Dense Electronics
DESCRIPTION:This talk presents a comprehensive overview of advanced fluidic and thermal management strategies across biomedical and defense applications. We begin with a systematic evaluation of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)\, specifically addressing the challenges of simultaneous velocity and particle size measurement. By analyzing Gaussian intensity variations across the light sheet and the optical system’s depth of field\, we propose a balanced methodology for achieving consistent\, high-fidelity size estimates.\nBuilding on these measurement techniques\, we discuss phase-locked PIV studies conducted within a pulsatile flow loop of a ‘mitral’ model bileaflet mechanical heart valve (MHV). The localized jets\, steep velocity gradients\, and vortex recirculation zones identified in vitro provide critical correlations to in-vivo platelet aggregation\, highlighting the intersection of fluid mechanics and clinical pathology.\nThe discussion then shifts to the pivotal role of fluidic design in next-generation whole blood cell analyzers\, utilizing hydrodynamic focusing and sheath flow to optimize optical flow cell performance for hematology. Finally\, we conclude with a high-level summary of mission-critical work in energy storage and high-heat flux cooling. These technologies are essential for the thermal management of power-dense electronics and 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI)\, ensuring reliability in the next frontier of microelectronic architecture.\n\nSpeaker : Dr. Ganesh Subramanian\n\n Biography:\nDr. Ganesh Subramanian is a technical leader and program/functional manager with over 20 years of experience bridging fundamental research and mission-critical engineering. An IISc Aerospace PhD and certified PMP/Agile professional\, he has led a diverse portfolio of high-priority energy storage and thermal management programs funded by the U.S. DoD and DARPA\, while at Teledyne Technologies. He has had a decade-long tenure\, each at Abbott and BD Biosciences\, developing fluidic and thermal subsystems for hematology instruments and flow cytometers. His career is grounded in high-impact fluid dynamics research working jointly with NASA and the Cleveland Clinic\, combining academic rigor with a proven track record of leadership in highly regulated defense and medical sectors.
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/precision-in-flow-advances-in-piv-hematology-and-high-heat-flux-cooling-for-power-dense-electronics/
LOCATION:STC Seminar Hall\, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:AE Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AE-Seminar-Ganesh-S-29April2026.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260507T150000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260507T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260505T050440Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T050440Z
UID:10000123-1778166000-1778173200@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:On Rayleigh Waves in Elastic Lattices
DESCRIPTION:A mathematical framework is presented to guide the search for Rayleigh waves in lattice materials based on periodic structure theory and the Bloch theorem. Architected materials with a periodic microstructure are distinguished from crystals in continuum anisotropic elasticity by the presence of at least one length scale and a band structure with partial and complete gaps for Bloch wave propagation. Non-affine bending deformations at or below the characteristic cell size are included by considering the unit cell as a framework of Timoshenko beams. We show that a quadratic eigenvalue problem\, with a Hermitian palindrome structure\, emerges from the force equilibrium and displacement compatibility relations for a propagating Bloch wave along any chosen orientation of the free edge/surface. Waves propagating along the free edge and penetrating to a finite depth into the medium are a partial set of eigensolutions of the nonlinear eigenproblem\, or its linearized symplectic form. These partial eigenwaves are used as the basis vectors to expand any arbitrary boundary displacements and force vectors\, which then constitute a complex asymmetric semi-infinite dynamic stiffness matrix. Surface and Rayleigh waves exist in its null space. Traction-free boundary conditions are used to show that the secular equation for Rayleigh waves is a real polynomial equation\, consistent with Stroh’s formulation for a length-scale independent anisotropic continuum crystal elasticity. Significant differences arising from the periodic structure are highlighted. Computational issues in the numerical solution of the structured eigenvalue problem for surface waves in lattices are addressed. Our formulation is applicable to any arbitrary lattice with complex unit cells and material architectures. Surface waves in a planar square lattice are found to emerge from the gaps for bulk waves in the band structure of the bulk waves. This research is a collaboration with Prof. N.A. Fleck of Cambridge University\, United Kingdom. \nSpeaker: Prof. Anasavarapu Srikantha Phani \nBiography: \nSrikanth is a tenured full professor at the University of British Columbia\, Vancouver\, Canada. He received a PhD from Cambridge University in the Dynamics and Applied Mechanics group under the supervision of Prof. Woodhouse and there he pursued postdoctoral work with Prof. Fleck in the Cambridge Center for Micromechanics. His principal research interests include\, Dynamics and Vibrations\, Mechanics of advanced materials\, and their applications in engineering and cardiovascular medicine. At UBC\, he held a Tier 2 Canada Research chair\, and received Killam Teaching prize.
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/on-rayleigh-waves-in-elastic-lattices/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:AE Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/On-Rayleigh-Waves-in-Elastic-Lattices2-1_page-0001.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260518T040000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260518T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260514T081933Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T082153Z
UID:10000124-1779076800-1779123600@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Ph.D. (Engg) : Mechanical Characterization and Non-linear Analysis of Woven Hyperelastic Composite Laminate using Variational Asymptotic Method.
DESCRIPTION:The increasing demand for lightweight\, multifunctional structures in aerospace and civil engineering applications has driven significant interest in hyperelastic composite laminates. These materials\, capable of undergoing large deformations while maintaining structural integrity\, are particularly suited for deployable space structures\, high altitude airships\, inflatable antennas\, and tensile fabric architectures. However\, accurate prediction of their mechanical behavior requires rigorous constitutive modeling coupled with mathematically consistent dimensional-reduction techniques that make no ad hoc assumptions.\n\nThis thesis presents a comprehensive investigation into the constitutive modeling and asymptotic analysis of hyperelastic composite laminates for high-altitude airship and other inflatable structure applications. Through an extensive literature survey\, Kapton HN® and Nomex® were identified as promising candidate materials for multifunctional membrane structures due to their desirable properties\, including UV resistance\, thermal stability\, helium retention capability\, and mechanical strength. A composite laminate was fabricated using the vacuum bagging technique with Nomex® sandwiched between Kapton HN® layers on the top and bottom\, employing the hand lay-up technique with aerospace-grade epoxy.\n\nAll three constituent materials—Kapton HN®\, Nomex®\, and the fabricated composite laminate—were mechanically characterized through uniaxial tensile tests conducted until failure. The anisotropic nature of Nomex® was further investigated by evaluating micro-fiber angles using image processing of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images taken at 1770× resolution. Incompressible hyperelastic material models were proposed to fit the experimental data for these materials\, subject to constraints from continuum mechanics and the Baker-Eriksen inequalities.\n\nThe isotropic Kapton HN® was accurately represented by the incompressible vYeoh model\, while Nomex® required a modified version of the Holzapfel-Gasser-Ogden (HGO) model to capture its fiber-reinforced characteristics. Notably\, the modified HGO model could estimate fiber angles using an error-optimization algorithm\, and these estimates were validated against fiber angles measured directly from SEM image analysis.\n\nFor the composite laminate\, a superposition-of-energies approach—referred to in the literature as the Rule of Mixtures model—was proposed and mechanically characterized in both longitudinal and transverse directions. The model demonstrated excellent agreement with experimental observations.\n\nBuilding upon the constitutive characterization\, the three material systems were modeled within a geometrically exact kinematic framework for plates. Using the Variational Asymptotic Method (VAM)\, dimensionally reduced\, asymptotically correct models were derived for each material up to first order. This mathematically rigorous approach makes no ad hoc assumptions and systematically accounts for the small parameters inherent in thin structures. The warping functions\, which capture the through-thickness deformation patterns\, were systematically solved as intermediate results for all three materials up to zeroth and first order. The two-dimensional nonlinear constitutive laws were evaluated\, and the mechanical coupling responses were clearly elucidated.\n\nFinally\, a nonlinear finite element analysis was performed to model plates fabricated from these materials under various loading conditions. The VAM-based models were successfully validated against experimental data\, demonstrating the accuracy and predictive capability of the asymptotically derived constitutive laws. This work establishes a rigorous framework for analyzing hyperelastic composite laminates and provides valuable insights for the design of next-generation membrane structures for aerospace and civil engineering applications.\n\nSpeaker: Shaikbepari Mohmmed Khajamoinuddin\n\nResearch Supervisors: Dineshkumar Harursampath  & MR Bhat
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/ph-d-engg-mechanical-characterization-and-non-linear-analysis-of-woven-hyperelastic-composite-laminate-using-variational-asymptotic-method/
LOCATION:Conference Hall\, 1st Floor\, CVH\, IISc
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Shaikbepar.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260521T113000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260521T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260508T043003Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260522T102323Z
UID:10000127-1779363000-1779368400@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Space Object Tracking\, Manoeuvre Estimation and Sensor Tasking for Space Situational Awareness
DESCRIPTION:Due to increased human activity in the last two decades\, near-earth space has become congested from functional/non-functional satellites and space debris. These space objects of human origin\, along with natural asteroids and space weather\, pose natural\, accidental\, or intentional threats to functional and expensive satellites. It is imperative to track space assets continuously as well as assess collision threats to take necessary actions\, which is termed Space Situational Awareness (SSA). Assessing the risk of collision of these space debris with active satellites requires estimation of the positions and velocities of both objects. While space object tracking is the primary task of an SSA system\, other related tasks are estimating the manoeuvre of the catalogued objects and managing the sensor networks for observations. In this talk\, we will discuss some recent advancements in space object tracking by repurposing radio telescopes\, and estimation of satellite manoeuvres\, where only the initial and final state information is available. We express the final state of the satellite as a function of the initial state and the manoeuvre and formulate an optimisation problem to estimate the manoeuvre time and Δ𝑉. We will discuss various strategies to solve this optimisation problem – including simultaneous and iterative estimation of manoeuvre time and Δ𝑉. We will then focus on managing a sensor network for SSA in terms of tasking the sensors to perform catalogue maintenance of space objects. We will discuss a time-invariant approach for optimally directing various ground stations to maximise the expected number of space objects visible by the sensor network.\n\n\n\nSpeaker: Dr. Sanat K. Biswas\n\n\nBiography:\n\nDr. Sanat K. Biswas is an Associate Professor of Electronics and Communication Engineering at IIIT Delhi\, and Head of IIIT Delhi Space Technology Centre (ISTC). He received his B.E. from Jadavpur University in 2010\, an MTech. in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Bombay in 2012\, and a PhD in computationally efficient Unscented Kalman filters for space vehicle navigation from the University of New South Wales (UNSW)\, Sydney\, in 2017. His research specializes in Space Domain Awareness\, GNSS-based navigation\, Position\, Navigation and Timing using LEO satellites. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE (2022)\, Associate Editor – IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems and serves on the technical committees for Space Communications and Navigation (SCAN) and Space Traffic Management (STM) of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). His contributions have been recognized with the 2014 Emerging Space Leaders Grant\, the 2019 Early Career Research Award from the DST\, the 2020 and 2021 Young Scientist Awards from URSI\, and the 2020 Harry Rowe Mimno Award from the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society.\n\nTea/Coffee: 11:00 AM\n\nALL ARE WELCOME
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/space-object-tracking-manoeuvre-estimation-and-sensor-tasking-for-space-situational-awareness/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sanat.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260522T110000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260522T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260514T043230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T083650Z
UID:10000126-1779447600-1779454800@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Fluid dynamics across scales: Insights from compressible turbulence and large-scale tropical atmospheric dynamics
DESCRIPTION:Fluid flows in nature and engineering exhibit a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. This talk presents two problems across this range: compressible turbulence in channel flows and large-scale vorticity dynamics in the tropical atmosphere.\nThe first part of the talk focuses on compressible turbulence\, which plays a key role in many aerospace flows\, including supersonic and hypersonic flight\, shock-boundary layer interactions\, and scramjet combustion. In contrast to incompressible turbulence\, compressible turbulence is characterised by fluctuations in both thermodynamic variables of density\, temperature and pressure\, in addition to velocity. Using Lie symmetry theory\, we derive scaling laws for velocity and thermodynamic statistics in compressible channel flows. As a first step\, we derive a hierarchy of unclosed equations for the probability density function and its Fourier transform\, the characteristic function\, that accounts for both flow and thermodynamics statistics. Then\, the Lie point symmetries of the characteristic function hierarchy are derived. Finally\, the symmetry groups are used to obtain the scaling laws for channel flows\, and are verified against the data from direct numerical simulations.\nThe second part of the talk focuses on understanding the large-scale meridional structure of vertical vorticity in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)\, the near-equatorial region where the trade winds converge and produce a planetary-scale band of precipitation. We show that the vorticity away from the latitude of the ITCZ can be understood approximately through conservation of absolute vorticity\, whereas\, within the ITCZ\, vortex stretching plays a dominant role. As a result\, the relative vorticity in the ITCZ increases as the ITCZ moves poleward.\n\nSpeaker: Dr. Divya Sri Praturi\n\nBiography :\nDivya Sri Praturi is a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology\, Hamburg. She obtained her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University\, College Station\, USA\, and Bachelors and Masters degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology\, Kharagpur. She was also a recipient of the Humboldt Fellowship for postdoctoral researchers and Amelia Earhart Fellowship for PhD students. Her research interests lie broadly in the areas of tropical atmospheric and climate dynamics\, stability and turbulence in conducting and non-conducting compressible shear flows. She employs pen-and-paper calculations\, group theoretical methods and high resolution numerical simulations to derive mechanistic insights into these flows.
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/fluid-dynamics-across-scales-insights-from-compressible-turbulence-and-large-scale-tropical-atmospheric-dynamics/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
CATEGORIES:AE Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Divya-May22-4.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260525T150000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260525T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260513T082319Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T083011Z
UID:10000125-1779721200-1779728400@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Deception and Risk-Sensitive Behaviors in Games with Asymmetric Information: A Pursuit-Evasion Case Study
DESCRIPTION:Abstract: Games with asymmetric information involve situations where one player possesses knowledge that the other player does not. This is particularly evident in military engagements\, where the “fog of war” plays a critical role in the decision-making process. In such scenarios\, two distinct behaviors can be observed. The more informed player tends to adopt deceptive strategies aimed at imposing losses on the opponent. Conversely\, the less informed player seeks to mitigate losses caused by the information disadvantage by adopting a risk-averse strategy.\nIn this talk\, we present a novel approach for the more informed player to incorporate deception in a two-agent differential game with asymmetric information. We propose sensitivity function-based risk estimates for the less informed player to effectively address the information disadvantage. The efficacy of the proposed techniques is demonstrated through a pursuit-evasion case study involving a pursuer\, an evader\, and a moving obstacle whose exact position and velocity are known only to one of the players (the evader in this case). Finally\, we explore the relevance of deception for the evader using the concept of dependent reachable sets. \nSpeaker : Dr. Venkata Ramana Makkapati \nBiography: \nDr. Venkata Ramana Makkapati is currently working at Honda Aircraft Company as an AFCS & Advanced Research Engineer. His research interests include optimal control and differential games\, with a focus on autonomous vehicles\, safe path planning\, and airspace security. He received his B.Tech. from IIT Madras in 2014 and M.Tech. from IIT Kanpur in 2016\, both in Aerospace Engineering. He obtained his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and an M.S. in Computational Science and Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology\, Atlanta\, USA. Ramana is an FAA-certified Private Pilot and holds the United States Parachute Association (USPA) A license. \n  \nLink: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/43166057134136?p=TqzW03cjZvsMTgCwMN\nMeeting ID: 431 660 571 341 36\nPasscode: Yw6Ab2NU
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/deception-and-risk-sensitive-behaviors-in-games-with-asymmetric-information-a-pursuit-evasion-case-study/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:AE Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Venkata.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260525T160000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260525T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260525T043027Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260525T094140Z
UID:10000129-1779724800-1779728400@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:Ph.D. (Engg) :VAM-Based Elastic and Thermo-elastic Micromechanics Models for Homogenization and a VAM2 Multi-scale Model for Composite Beam-Like Structures.
DESCRIPTION:In diverse domains of engineering and high-performance applications\, the use of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites (FRPMCs) and Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) has experienced rapid and sustained growth. This trend is primarily attributable to their high specific stiffness\, elevated strength-to-weight ratio\, low Coefficients of Thermal Expansion (CTE)\, and inherently lightweight characteristics\, coupled with the ability to tailor their properties to meet specific design requirements. The effective utilization of such advanced materials necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their structural response\, both at the global and constituent levels. In particular\, precise knowledge of homogenized material properties\, CTEs\, and spatially resolved local fields within the reinforcement and matrix phases is indispensable for predicting structural behavior\, conducting performance assessments\, and achieving optimal designs suited to demanding engineering applications. The growing demand for accelerated yet accurate design cycles further underscores the need for computationally efficient\, yet physically rigorous\, predictive models. \nConventional micro-mechanics and multi-scale modeling techniques are frequently constrained by restrictive kinematic assumptions\, such as pre-specified displacement or stress fields\, whose validity is not inherently guaranteed by the governing equations of three-dimensional elasticity\, and often employ oversimplified treatments of interface continuity conditions. Numerical approaches\, while flexible\, typically rely on computationally intensive discretization and may not rigorously satisfy all interface continuity requirements. These limitations collectively compromise the generality\, accuracy\, and physical fidelity of predicted material and structural responses. \nTo address these shortcomings\, this doctoral research develops a unified\, analytically rigorous\, and asymptotically consistent multi-scale modeling framework for the accurate prediction of homogenized elastic properties\, CTEs\, and fully three-dimensional local field distributions within the constituents of composite materials\, with particular emphasis on beam-like structural configurations. The first segment of the thesis introduces an asymptotically correct micromechanics formulation that eliminates arbitrary field assumptions\, deriving its governing equations directly from the stationary conditions of the total strain energy functional expressed in generalized strain measures. The Variational Asymptotic Method (VAM) is adopted as the mathematical foundation\, while the Hashin–Rosen Composite Cylinder Model (CCM) serves as the physical idealization for the composite Representative Unit Cell (RUC). This approach enables the derivation of closed-form expressions for homogenized elastic properties\, including elastic moduli\, shear moduli\, and Poisson’s ratios\, while rigorously enforcing displacement continuity and transverse stress equilibrium at the reinforcement–matrix interface. The resulting expressions are explicit functions of constituent material properties\, volume fractions\, and geometric parameters. \nThe formulation is subsequently extended to the thermo-elastic regime\, wherein the governing relations are derived from the stationary conditions of the Helmholtz free energy functional\, expressed in generalized strain measures and CTEs. This extension yields closed-form expressions for the effective longitudinal and transverse coefficients of thermal expansion. The predicted elastic moduli and CTEs are extensively validated against existing micro-mechanical solutions\, experimental results\, and literature data for a wide range of composite systems. \nBuilding upon this foundation\, the research advances a VAM2-based multi-scale analytical methodology in which the generalized micromechanics formulation is seamlessly integrated with a macro-scale structural model\, free from restrictive kinematic simplifications. The macro-scale solution prescribes traction boundary conditions to the micro-scale problem in a manner consistent with three-dimensional equilibrium\, while the micro-scale formulation rigorously enforces interface elasticity constraints. This enables the derivation of closed-form expressions for fully three-dimensional local displacement\, strain\, and stress fields in both reinforcement and matrix phases\, parameterized by one-dimensional strain measures\, curvature terms\, constituent properties\, and spatial coordinates. \nThe proposed multi-scale framework achieves computational accuracy comparable to concurrent multi-scale approaches\, while preserving the computational efficiency characteristic of hierarchical methods. Its predictive capability is validated through high-fidelity three-dimensional finite element simulations for arbitrary RUC locations on the beam cross-section\, under simultaneously applied multi-load conditions. \nOverall\, this research establishes a generalizable\, physically consistent\, analytically tractable\, and computationally efficient paradigm for predicting homogenized elastic properties\, CTEs\, and performing multi-scale structural analysis of composite materials. It represents a substantive advancement over prevailing micro-mechanical and multi-scale modeling strategies\, combining theoretical rigor with practical utility for the design and analysis of advanced composite structures. \nThis MS Teams Meeting Link is just for those unable to join pīrēśvarā\, Dr MVVS mūrti & me in-person@CVH Conference Hall\, IISc: AE PhD Colloquium: VAM2 Multiscale Model for Composite Beams & VAM-based Thermoelastic MicroMechanic Homogenization | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams : https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/45114276357578?p=KPgojv0HqsJhQKrSzd \n  \nSpeaker: śrī M. V. PEERESWARA RAO \nResearch Supervisors: Dineshkumar Harursampath & Dr MVVS Murthy\, Division Head\, Spacecraft Systems Engg. Group\, URSC\, ISRO
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/ph-d-engg-vam-based-elastic-and-thermo-elastic-micromechanics-models-for-homogenization-and-a-vam2-multi-scale-model-for-composite-beam-like-structures/
LOCATION:Conference Hall\, 1st Floor\, CVH\, IISc
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/PEERESWARA.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260526T110000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20260526T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T233824
CREATED:20260522T053523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260522T104121Z
UID:10000128-1779793200-1779800400@aero.iisc.ac.in
SUMMARY:"Astrodynamics Applications: Perspectives on Stretching Directions in Cislunar Space"
DESCRIPTION:The exploration of deep space relies on advanced astrodynamics techniques to navigate complex gravitational environments. This presentation examines key applications in space mission design\, with particular emphasis on the circular restricted three-body problem. Within the Earth–Moon system\, near rectilinear halo orbits (NRHOs) about the L1 and L2 Lagrange points have been proposed as long-duration trajectories for cislunar exploration\, including NASA’s upcoming Gateway mission. These orbits are stable or only weakly unstable and therefore lack clearly defined stable and unstable manifold structures. As a result\, traditional design and control approaches that rely on invariant manifolds become less effective for both transfer trajectory design and stationkeeping. To address this limitation\, this work investigates the use of stretching directions to characterize the flow of perturbations in the vicinity of a reference trajectory. These directions provide a framework for analyzing the effects of maneuvers in two fundamentally contrasting applications: transfer design and stationkeeping. Furthermore\, the presentation also highlights broader applications of nonlinear dynamical structures in cislunar space\, including proximity operations\, trajectory tracking\, and guidance and navigation considerations in multi-body environments. These topics are discussed in the context of the challenges and opportunities associated with current and future cislunar missions\, including NASA’s Lunar Gateway.\n  \nSpeaker : Dr. Vivek Muralidharan  \nBiography:\n\nDr. Vivek Muralidharan is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering in the Department of Aerospace\, Physics and Space Sciences at Florida Institute of Technology. He previously worked as a Flight Dynamics Engineer at ICEYE in Finland\, managing orbit control activities for a fleet of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites\, and as a Research Associate at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security\, Reliability and Trust (SnT)\, University of Luxembourg. Dr. Muralidharan graduated with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK)\, India in 2015. He then received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University\, USA\, in 2017 and 2021\, respectively. While at Purdue University\, Dr. Muralidharan’s research focus includes orbital dynamics\, the circular-restricted three-body problem\, stationkeeping strategies\, orbit determination\, as well as guidance\, navigation and control. He has also contributed to projects at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram\, India\, and Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (MERL) in Massachusetts\, USA. Dr. Muralidharan featured in the 2022 list of “20 under 35” published by Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) and was a finalist for the Luigi G. Napolitano Award at the 73rd International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2022.\n\nTea/Coffee at 10:45 AM
URL:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/event/astrodynamics-applications-perspectives-on-stretching-directions-in-cislunar-space/
LOCATION:Auditorium (AE 005)\, Department of Aerospace Engineering
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aero.iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Vivek.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR