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Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics

Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics is a research topic within Aerospace Engineering. Science Explorer counts 15k research works in it since 1950. 29.1% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

This cluster of papers focuses on the use of plasma actuators, including dielectric barrier discharge and synthetic jets, for aerodynamic flow control. The research covers topics such as separation control, flow reattachment, electrohydrodynamic effects, boundary layer control, and nanosecond pulse discharge. Additionally, it explores applications in thermal management for electronics.

  • Plasma Actuators
  • Aerodynamic Flow Control
  • Dielectric Barrier Discharge
  • Synthetic Jets
  • Separation Control
  • Flow Reattachment
  • Electrohydrodynamic Effects
  • Boundary Layer Control
  • Nanosecond Pulse Discharge
  • Thermal Management
Research works
15k
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
4.3k
per year above
Top-10% rate
29.1%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+10%
the tick is no change

Which countries lead Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics research?

By volume, China and the United States publish the most (711 and 492 works in 2022–2025).

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China 711 works
  2. 2 United States 492 works
  3. 3 India 201 works
  4. 4 Russia 150 works
  5. 5 Japan 122 works
  6. 6 United Kingdom 76 works
  7. 7 Germany 75 works
  8. 8 France 62 works
  9. 9 Iran 44 works
  10. 10 Italy 44 works

How concentrated that is

The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.

China: 36.0%United States: 24.9%India: 10.2%Russia: 7.6%6 others listed: 21.3%36%largest
China711 · 36.0%United States492 · 24.9%India201 · 10.2%Russia150 · 7.6%6 others listed422 · 21.3%

Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.

Which institutions lead Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics research?

By volume in 2022–2025, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics publishes the most Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics research, followed by Northwestern Polytechnical University and National University of Defense Technology.

Who are the leading researchers in Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics?

The most-cited researchers publishing on Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics include Daniel J. Inman.

  1. 1 Daniel J. Inman United States 2.3k citations

Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.

Where is Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics research done?

The largest centres of Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Xi'an (China), Nanjing (China) and Moscow (Russia). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Mianyang and Novosibirsk.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 145 works
  2. 2 Xi'an China 109 works
  3. 3 Nanjing China 79 works
  4. 4 Moscow Russia 65 works
  5. 5 Changsha China 55 works
  6. 6 Mianyang China 49 works
  7. 7 Tokyo Japan 47 works
  8. 8 Shanghai China 36 works
  9. 9 Novosibirsk Russia 34 works
  10. 10 Harbin China 28 works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. MianyangCN · 49.1 works38×
  2. NovosibirskRU · 34.2 works12×
← less than its size predictsmore →

Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics than the world average.

See Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics on the map

Where is the best place to study Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics?

Among universities, judged by research, National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Northwestern Polytechnical University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.

0%20%40%60%mean 34.34%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →National University of Defense Technology: 48, 52.2%Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics: 55, 34.1%Northwestern Polytechnical University: 49, 33.2%Air Force Engineering University: 18, 56.2%Beihang University: 29, 38.1%Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur: 12, 18.6%Lomonosov Moscow State University: 15, 20.7%Xi'an Jiaotong University: 24, 41.1%University of Miami: 10, 30.5%University of Notre Dame: 11, 18.7%Air Force Engineerin…National University …Nanjing University o…Northwestern Polytec…
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.

#UniversityScoreTop 10%SpecialisationWorksGrowth
1 National University of Defense TechnologyChina 78.252.2%26.6×48 +61.3%
2 Nanjing University of Aeronautics and AstronauticsChina 67.134.1%26.5×55 +1.4%
3 Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityChina 66.033.2%18.5×49 +0.5%
4 Air Force Engineering UniversityChina 64.856.2%54.0×18 -24.2%
5 Beihang UniversityChina 62.838.1%11.2×29 +1.3%
6 Indian Institute of Technology KanpurIndia 54.118.6%15.4×12 +182.3%
7 Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussia 53.420.7%7.5×15 +144.1%
8 Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChina 52.441.1%6.3×24 +8.4%
9 University of MiamiUnited States 49.230.5%8.9×10 +58.8%
10 University of Notre DameUnited States 48.718.7%15.6×11 +90.3%

Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.

Is Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 10% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2026. The fastest-growing topics are Plasma and Flow Control in Aerodynamics.

19801990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Which topics inside it are moving

Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.