Characterization of Hypervelocity Impact Plasma Through Experiments and Simulations (PO Luginsland)
Abstract
Hypervelocity impacts (HVI), occuring at several times the speed of sound in the target, cause inertial stresses greatly exceeding the material strength and produce plasmas whose behavior is not fully understood. These phenomena occur through impacts of orbital debris and meteoroids on spacecraft and natural bodies but can also be produced in lab environments. The impact forms plasma that is initially governed by High Energy Density hydrodynamics and spans many orders of magnitude in density and length scale as it expands. As the plasma expands, it produces electromagnetic radiation, or electromagnetic pulses, via mechanisms including charge motion driven by plasma dynamics and interaction with external fields. This radiation spans the spectrum from visible light to radio frequencies and can have deleterious but poorly understood electrical effects on spacecraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310628
Entities
People
- Sigrid Close
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Stanford University
- United States Air Force