A description of infrared thermography, as tbis Is eJq)loyed In a hypersonic blowdown wind tunnel for the acquIsition of high quality "two-dimensional" heat transfer data over aerodynamic surfaces, Is given. It Is shown that the availabillty of an Infrared scanning radiometer and a standard dlgital lmage processing (DIP) system In the laboratory may provide the means for the performance of highly effident (In terms of time and cost) heat transfer measurements, which exhibit accuracy levels comparable to those achieved by classical discrete point gauges, such as thin film surface resistance thermometers and thermocouples. The advantuges of infrared thermal mapping over the classical techniq�s, not ooly In measuring heat transfer distributions over cOJq)lex three-dimensional configurations andIn locating and quantifying bigbiy localized hot spots, but also In interpreting puzzling results observed on simple configurations are illustrated by means of a series of eX8Jq)les. A discussion of the limitations of the technique Is also offered to Indicate that most of such limitations are common to class ical "zero-dlmenslonal" Instrumentation as well Manuscript

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