Microwave Reentry Plasma Diagnostics
Abstract
An analysis of surface-mounted aperture antenna admittance has been performed in this study to determine the conditions under which admittance measurements can be used for reentry plasma diagnostics. The primary contribution of the present work is the determination that the admittance of a thin, microwave aperture antenna, located on the surface of a reentry vehicle, can be used to obtain the values of the electron density, electron collision frequency, ion sheath thickness and electron temperature of the reentry plasma. It is further demonstrated, by using admittance measurements made during a reentry test flight as reported by Mayhan et al., that open-ended-waveguide antenna admittances can be used to determine the plasma electron density, electron collision frequency and plasma stand-off distance when the reentry plasma is separated, due to aerodynamic boundary layer effects, from the surface of the reentry vehicle. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0718981
Entities
People
- James P. Rybak
Organizations
- Colorado State University