Calculated electron number density profiles for the aeroassist flight experiment
Autor: | Peter A. Gnoffo, R. W. Lawrence, Robert B. Greendyke |
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Rok vydání: | 1992 |
Předmět: |
Physics
business.industry Aerospace Engineering Computational fluid dynamics Kinetic energy Computational physics Shock (mechanics) Electron avalanche Nuclear magnetic resonance Space and Planetary Science Ionization Total variation diminishing Sensitivity (control systems) business Parametric statistics |
Zdroj: | Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. 29:621-626 |
ISSN: | 1533-6794 0022-4650 |
DOI: | 10.2514/3.11501 |
Popis: | Basic features of a Microwave Reflectometer lonization Sensor (MRIS) as designed for use on the Aeroassist Flight Experiment are described. The MRIS is designed to measure the distances into the shock layer of four critical electron number densities corresponding to four frequencies (20, 44, 95, and 140 GHz). A parametric study of the effects of trajectory and several thermochemical nonequilibrium models for reaction rates, translational and vibrational-electronic energy exchange rates, the average electronic excitation level of atoms, and axisymmetric vs three-dimensional effects is conducted for evaluating MRIS contributions to the code validation process. The parametric study, implemented with the Langley Aerpthermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm program, reveals a particular sensitivity of the onset and severity of an electron avalanche phenomena associated with changes in these physical models that lead to strong electron-impact ionization. Predicted electron number density profiles are sensitive to reasonable variations in certain kinetic models; consequently, MRIS measurements could assist the code validation process. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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