Treatment of interfaces in particle image velocimetry

A first-order accurate method of extending the capability of image velocimetry to interfaces is presented. In this method, the image fields are locally extended across interfaces using fields from the other image of an image pair. During this image parity exchange, the extension of the image fields amounts to locally reversing and reflecting the relative velocity field across the interface. Numerous experimental examples are given to demonstrate and validate the accuracy of the method. These are the plane Couette flow and the laminar pipe flow demonstrating straight rigid boundaries; uniform flow past a sphere and a sphere moving in a stagnant fluid demonstrating curved rigid surfaces; and a free-surface flow and a liquid-liquid interface flow demonstrating compliant interfaces.