Molecular Processes at the Extreme Temperatures Relevant for the Hypersonic Flight Regime

Abstract

In hypersonic flight or during atmospheric reentry, the temperature of the gases around the spacecraft increases enormously. The energy is redistributed through complex molecular interactions, and understanding such processes is crucial for using aerothermodynamics models. This project has been focused on investigating the dynamics of reactions occurring near the surface of vehicles during atmospheric reentry. For this purpose, potential energy surfaces have been developed to study reactions of interest for the hypersonic regime (e.g., CN N, N2 C, and CO C). Dynamics have been carried out using quasiclassical methods, and rate coefficients have been reported at temperatures as high as 20000 K. In addition, vibrational relaxation processes have been analyzed in these and other systems. The results obtained here will have relevance for the application of aerothermodynamic models.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 19, 2023
Accession Number
AD1217715

Entities

People

  • Otoniel Denis Alpizar

Organizations

  • Autonomous University of Chile

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerothermodynamics
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Atmosphere Entry
  • Climate Change
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Dynamics
  • Electronic States
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Flight
  • Ground State
  • High Temperature
  • Potential Energy
  • Relaxation Time
  • Scientific Research
  • Vibrational Relaxation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flight
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster