Experimental characterization of ultraviolet radiation of air in a high enthalpy plasma torch facility

C. J. Casses; P. J. Bertrand; C. M. Jacobs; M. E. Mac Donald; Ch. O. Laux

doi:10.1051/eucass/201507353

All issues

Volume 7 (2015)

10.1051/eucass/201507353

Abstract

Open Access

Issue		Volume 7, 2015 Progress in Flight Physics – Volume 7


Page(s)		353 - 368
Section		Nonequilibrium and rarefied flows
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/eucass/201507353
Published online		08 June 2015

Progress in Flight Physics 7 (2015) 353-368

Experimental characterization of ultraviolet radiation of air in a high enthalpy plasma torch facility

C. J. Casses¹, P. J. Bertrand¹, C. M. Jacobs¹^,2, M. E. Mac Donald¹^,2 and Ch. O. Laux¹^,2

¹ Ecole Centrale, Paris Châtenay-Malabry 92290, France
² Laboratoire EM2C CNRS UPR288, Châtenay-Malabry 92290, France

Abstract

During atmospheric reentry, a plasma is formed ahead of the surface of the vehicle and the excited particle present in the plasma produces radiative heating fluxes to the surface of the vehicle. A high-temperature air plasma torch operating at atmospheric pressure was used to experimentally reproduce atmospheric reentry conditions. A high-resolution and absolute intensity emission spectrum (full width at half maximum (FWHM) = 0.064 nm) was obtained from 200 to 450 nm and then compared with computational results provided by the SPECAIR code [1]. This paper discusses the comparison of the two spectra over this wavelength range in order to confirm the validity of the calculation and provide direction to improve the calculated spectrum.