The Impact of a New Instrument on the Development of Scientific Domain

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Dr. Cozzens, working with Dr. Iskender Gokalp, a physical scientist at the CNRS in France, are investigating the context and impact of the introduction of laser doppler anemometry (LDA) into the domains of turbulence and turbulent combustion studies. The case is significant for a number of reasons. The domain is an important one with strong technological and social consequences. It is an example of an interdisciplinary field with strong interactions between different contributing areas. The changes introduced by LDA are drastic, and thus create an opportunity to compare revolutionary and evolutionary changes in the field. the pure turbulence and turbulent combustion research communities received LDA differently, with one incorporating it immediately and the other resisting for some time. The contrast provides a natural comparative design for studying the factors that facilitate and inhibit diffusion of instruments. LDA was introduced in a highly competitive domain with strong technological potentialities. The case also allows the investigators to compare the response of different national systems to changes with practical consequences. Finally, it is a recent case which makes it relatively convenient to study. Drs. Gokalp and Cozzens are exploring the case on a collaborative basis through analysis of documents, interviews and site visits. A portion of the research builds a data base on the process through which laboratories introduced LDA. Another analyzes LDA's impact on the field of turbulent combustion itself. A third involves case studies of individual laboratories, to explore in more depth the process of incorporation of the instrument.