Spectrally and Spatially Resolved Radiance Measurement in High-Speed Shock Waves for Planetary Entry

Author

Cruden, Brett A.

Author_Institution

ERC Corp., NASA Ames Res. Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA

Volume

39

Issue

11

fYear

2011

Firstpage

2718

Lastpage

2719

Abstract

Three-dimensional images of absolute radiance as a function of position and wavelength are obtained for shock-heated plasmas traveling in a shock tube at velocities near Mach 30. Vacuum optics coupled to a shock tube are used to image the shock onto four separate spectrometers, which, in turn, disperse the radiation in wavelength onto intensified CCD arrays covering selected spectral ranges from the vacuum ultraviolet (>;120 nm) through midwave infrared (<;5000 nm). Quantitative radiometry performed in this fashion is used to benchmark radiative heating codes used in sizing spacecraft thermal protection systems.

Keywords

Mach number; Mars; Venus; astronomical spectra; astrophysical plasma; planetary atmospheres; plasma diagnostics; plasma heating; radiometry; shock waves; space vehicles; 3D images; CCD array; Mach number; absolute radiance; high-speed shock waves; midwave infrared spectra; planetary entry; quantitative radiometry; radiation dispersion; radiative heating code; shock tube; shock-heated plasma; spacecraft thermal protection system; spatially resolved radiance measurement; spectrally resolved radiance measurement; vacuum optics; vacuum ultraviolet spectra; wavelength 120 nm to 1460 nm; Electric shock; Electron tubes; Heating; Optics; Plasmas; Shock waves; Vehicles; Aerospace simulation; plasma diagnostics; plasma measurements; shock waves; spectral analysis; spectroradiometers; spectroscopy;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2011.2162255

Filename

5999724