Shuttle Contamination Modeling: Evolution of Ionized Shuttle Exhaust.

Abstract

We consider the evolution of ionized Shuttle exhaust. While the source of ionization is not treated, the subsequent evolution can be understood in a certain amount of detail. The fundamental conclusion are that: (1) Low-density ions expand with neutral exhaust for about 100 m where they go through a rapid transition to collisionless behavior and then are swept away (in the Shuttle frame of reference) by the magnetic field, and radially away from the Shuttle: neither the ambient ionosphere nor the geomagnetic field can significantly change this behavior. The details of the evolution can be affected by low-level (approx. 0.1 mV/m) parallel electric fields. The mirror force associated with the geomagnetic field is to weak to have any effect.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 22, 1986
Accession Number
ADA172276

Entities

People

  • Michael Heinemann

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Charged Particles
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Computer Programs
  • Electric Fields
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Environment
  • High Density
  • Ionosphere
  • Low Density
  • Mach Number
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Mean Free Path
  • Personal Information Managers
  • Radiation
  • Trajectories
  • Transitions

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics