The entry emphasizes on VUV and IR radiation, since recent experimental efforts has been devoted to these wavelength ranges since they contribute mostly to CO2 plasma radiation. The main objective of the study is to identify the most attractive datasets for future crosscheck comparisons with the results obtained during future test campaigns with ESTHER shock-tube.
Radiation measurements in CO2 plasma flows are of interest for different aerospace applications. In propulsion, their investigation is necessary to study the combustion process in engines and to analyse exhaust plumes. Concerning atmospheric entries, they are key issues for planets such as Mars and Venus, since CO2 is a major component of their atmospheres. Radiation from species formed by CO2 dissociated flows, covers a wide range of wavelengths since some systems radiate in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and other in the infrared.
Measurements in VUV and infrared bands cover a range of wavelength of 62 up to 200 nm, and beyond 700 nm respectively. In hypersonic flows, radiative heating can be significant in both of these spectrum bands depending on plasma composition. However, VUV emission measurement is difficult to achieve due to the instrumentation limitations. Usually dedicated deuterium lamps [1] are used for such measurements. These devices required a specific calibration based on advanced photon metrology [2]. VUV measurements are not only relevant for hypersonic applications, but are also of interest for nuclear fusion, photochemistry, and exobiology; more particularly infrared measurements are a key issue for propulsion systems.
In the following, a literature survey of available data for CO2 radiating flows is presented. First, the data related to propulsion applications are presented, then experimental data obtained for Venus and Mars entry conditions are surveyed. The survey activity benefits from previous studies carried out for Mars entry [3] and shock facilities [4], as well as shock-tube data for Mars entry [5]. The available heritage from previous ESA TRP activities [6][7] has also been considered. In the frame of a research effort on CFD validation in CO2 environment, a large spectral database for CO2 radiation has been gathered, evaluated, and incorporated in the radiation tool PARADE [8][9]. The survey is mostly focusing on the results obtained in shock-tubes and expansion tubes. Data from plasma torches have been also considered; available spectra and measurements could be of interest even if they have been measured for much different flow conditions than those encountered within a shock-tube. The objective of the current study is to identify the most attractive datasets for CO2 radiation, in line with planetary entry, with a focus on VUV and IR contributions. These datasets will be of interest for assessing the future experimental data to be obtained during test campaigns in the European shock tube ESTHER [10]. ESTHER is a facility developed by an international consortium led by IST of Lisbon, under funding from the European Space Agency for supporting future exploration missions. It is a two-stage combustion driven shock-tube (see Figure 1) with laser ignition, with the capability to reach a shock velocity up to 14 km/s for Earth atmospheric entry. Specific instrumentation is going to be added to the facility, with a VUV capability for high-speed entries and a specific IR instrumentation for testing Mars entry conditions. The goal of the current effort is to support the development of this IR capability.
Several experimental studies have been focused on radiation measurements for Mars aerocapture and Venus entry conditions. Experimental campaigns for Venus entry have been carried out in EAST shock-tube by Martinez [1], and Cruden et al. [11][12]. The calibration of the deuterium lamp selected for the VUV measurements is detailed in [1]. In these studies, a 96.5 CO2 and 3.5 N2 atmosphere was considered for Venus, while a 96 CO2 and 4 N2 atmosphere was retained for investigating a Mars aerocapture in [1]. A comparison between the conditions tested in [11] and the some entry probe trajectories is shown in Figure 7. Experiments were performed from the VUV to IR ranges, from 120 up to 1700 nm at high velocities, in [1], and up to 5000 nm for low velocities, in [11][12].
The study carried out by Martinez [1] focuses more particularly on CN, and C2 and their related rotational temperatures. The results obtained for the rotational temperature as function of the shock velocity are displayed in Figure 8. They highlight the increase of the rotational temperature with the shock velocity. The spectra from 120 to 1520 nm, obtained by Martinez [1] for both Mars aerocapture, at 6.5, 7, and 8.5 km/s, and Venus entry conditions, at 9.5, 10.6, and 11.4 km/s, are shown in Figure 9. Datasets cover VUV up to NIR radiation, with the major contribution in the VUV. The VUV range is dominated by the CO(4+) system, two carbon atomic lines are also present at 193 and 248 nm.
Other test campaigns for Venus entry conditions (3–12 km/s 0.1–2 Torr) were conducted in EAST [11][12] spectral radiance was investigated from VUV through mid-IR (120–1650 nm, and 3000–5000 nm). Tests conditions are plotted in Figure 7. Resolved spectra of the CO 4th positive band in the VUV was also reported for the first time. Measurement of CO2 molecular vibrational radiation was also attempted for low velocities. The contributions of the different spectral regions from VUV to IR, to the total radiance for Venus and Mars entry conditions are resumed in Figure 10. Mid IR was only investigated at low velocities (3–4 km/s). For the other measurements medium resolution imaging was performed for C2 Swan, CN Violet, O 777 nm triplet and C 193 and 248 nm lines.
Figure 10. Contributions to the different spectral regions to the total radiance for different Mars (96% CO2, 4% N2) and Venus (96.5% CO2, 3.5% N2) entry conditions [11].
The observed results are similar to those reported in [1] that can be seen in Figure 9. One of the main radiator is CN radiating 22% less in Venus mixture than in Mars mixture, all other parameters being equal.
The analysis of the different tests shows that below 10 km/s, there is a strong emission from 120–300 nm, due to the CO 4th positive system reaching a maximum at 160 nm, this is the dominant feature in the spectrum. Other major contributors to radiation emission are, NO, strong atomic lines of C, O, and N, and CN Violet, with the four bands at 359, 388, 422, and 461 nm, corresponding to CN Violet system. The radiation intensity emitted by the CN Violet system, increases with the velocity up to 10 km/s, then decreases and vanishes, since the energy present in the flow is sufficient to dissociate the molecule. Swan band for C2, in between 500 and 700 nm, is also present in Figure 9, but at a much weaker level than CN. Like for CN, C2 contribution disappears above 10 km/s due to dissociation effects. The same phenomenon applies to the CN red system, which is strong in the NIR above 700 nm below 9 km/s and vanishes when the shock velocity increases. With the increase in velocity, the atomic lines become visible, as highlighted in Figure 9, with the oxygen atomic triplets at 777 and 1130 nm, and the C atomic lines and 193, 248, and 1069 nm. However, the main features when increasing the velocity is the growth of the background continuum radiation certainly due to interactions between the electrons and atomic and molecular species that include free-bound and bremsstrahlung processes.
The contributions to the total radiance for different wavelength bands have been computed by Cruden et al. [11] and are shown in Figure 10. The first contribution for all pressures and velocities is from VUV to far UV wavelengths, in between 125–215 nm, with 45 to 58% of the total radiation. At these wavelengths the radiation is mostly produced by the CO 4th positive system and from NO. The IR radiation above 900 nm is small with around 10 % of the total radiation. The radiation in the visible domain can be mainly attributed to the CN red system. The region in between 330 and 480 nm, contributes to 35% of the total radiation at 6.5 km/s. This strong contribution decreases at higher velocities, with 12% at 11.5 km/s due to the dissociation effects that are strong. Radiation from C2 Swan, 480–700 nm is for the different cases lower than 10% of the total radiation.
Measurements of C2 and CN bands systems have been used to compute rotational temperature; corresponding results are plotted in Figure 11. Finally, the tests have been reconstructed with NEQAIR [13]. Comparisons between experimental data and numerical calculations for different spectra are shown in Figure 12, Figure 13 and Figure 14. Figure 14 shows the comparisons between EAST data and NEQAIR calculations, of the integrated radiance from carbon lines and oxygen triplet, for the different studied conditions.
This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/galaxies9010015