Plasma sheet oscillations and their relation to substorm development: Cluster and double star TC1 case study

We examined two consecutive plasma sheet oscillation and dipolarization events observed by Cluster in the magnetotail, which are associated with a pseudo-breakup and a small substorm monitored by the IMAGE spacecraft. Energy input from the solar wind and an associated enhancement of the cross-tail current lead to current sheet thinning and plasma sheet oscillations of 3–5 min periods, while the pseudo-breakups occur during the loading phase within a spatially limited area, accompanied by a localized dipolarization observed by DSP TC1 or GOES 12. That is, the so-called “growth phase” is a preferable condition for both pseudo-breakup and plasma sheet oscillations in the near-Earth magnetotail. One of the plasma sheet oscillation events occurs before the pseudo-breakup, whereas the other takes place after pseudo-breakup. Thus there is no causal relationship between the plasma sheet oscillation events and pseudo-breakup. As for the contribution to the subsequent small substorm, the onset of the small substorm took place where the preceding plasma sheet oscillations can reach the region.     

The Coma of Comet 9P/Tempel 1

As comet 9P/Tempel 1 approaches the Sun in 2004–2005, a temporary atmosphere, or “coma,” will form, composed of molecules and dust expelled from the nucleus as its component icy volatiles sublimate. Driven mainly by water ice sublimation at surface temperatures T > 200 K, this coma is a gravitationally unbound atmosphere in free adiabatic expansion. Near the nucleus (≤ 10² km), it is in collisional equilibrium, at larger distances (≥10⁴ km) it is in free molecular flow. Ultimately the coma components are swept into the comet’s plasma and dust tails or simply dissipate into interplanetary space. Clues to the nature of the cometary nucleus are contained in the chemistry and physics of the coma, as well as with its variability with time, orbital position, and heliocentric distance. The DI instrument payload includes CCD cameras with broadband filters covering the optical spectrum, allowing for sensitive measurement of dust in the comet’s coma, and a number of narrowband filters for studying the spatial distribution of several gas species. DI also carries the first near-infrared spectrometer to a comet flyby since the VEGA mission to Halley in 1986. This spectrograph will allow detection of gas emission lines from the coma in unprecedented detail. Here we discuss the current state of understanding of the 9P/Tempel 1 coma, our expectations for the measurements DI will obtain, and the predicted hazards that the coma presents for the spacecraft. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Studies of anomalous potential drops due to ion density inhomogeneities

The dynamic response of a 1-dimensional plasma diode to an applied step voltage is studied during a few electron transit times by numerical simulations when the initial state has an ion density minimum (an ion density cavity). Depending on the cavity depth and the applied voltage the potential drop distributes over the cavity or concentrates in a cathode sheath. The transistion between the two states as well as the cavity potential profiles are predicted by an analytical model. Simulations with periodic cavities as initial state show that the applied voltage can be shared between the cavities. A double layer, steady on the ion time scale, is created by introducing a steady cavity by ion losses.     

超视距雷达探测高超声速飞行器可行性分析

在前期开展再入飞行器RCS（雷达散射截面）特性试验和理论研究的基础上,对典型临近空间高超声速飞行器RCS特性开展了研究,分析了绕流和尾迹对飞行器本体RCS特性的影响。研究表明等离子体流场在头身部绕流、近尾尾迹和部分远尾尾迹的最大电子密度将远高于电离层最高电子密度,更高于典型天波超视距雷达工作频段对应的临界电子密度。因而等离子体尾迹将会对3~30 MHz频段电磁波产生较强的散射,使得等离子体尾迹的RCS远远大于飞行器本体的RCS。利用临近空间高超声速飞行器尾迹RCS的这一特点,有可能实现对临近空间高超声速飞行器的超视距探测。     

高压环境下剪切稀化非牛顿撞击射流直接数值模拟

高压环境下的撞击射流是液体火箭推进系统中广泛采用的一种燃料雾化方法,其雾化效果将直接决定最终燃烧效率。采用直接数值模拟（DNS）工具,对10 MPa高压环境下剪切稀化非牛顿直角撞击射流的三维非定常雾化特征、机理及非牛顿特性进行了研究。结果表明：高压环境下该撞击射流的雾化流场呈圆形辐射状分布并形成Mushroom头部和Ω状的局部凸起,气体中的涡量分布表现为有序贴附区和无序爆炸区两类,液膜向液丝的破碎主要受平均气体力和平均黏性力作用影响,而液丝向液滴的破碎则主要受局部流场参数影响,撞击雾化过程中液体无量纲表面积不断增长并可分为5个阶段。此外,撞击射流头部在局部强剪切力作用下其无量纲黏性系数最低降至仅0.7。     

用于驻点烧蚀试验的5kW等离子体发生器设计

为了研究再入大气层时,飞行器所遭受的烧蚀情况和其外壳材料的热防护作用,围绕地面模拟再入环境的小型等离子体风洞系统,从等离子体发生器的功率计算和阴极、阳极结构参数入手,设计了用于驻点烧蚀试验的5kW级别小功率等离子体发生器。采用局域热力学平衡的方法,选择工作电流分别为90A,100A,110A和120A,对等离子体发生器性能的影响进行了研究。利用实验室真空系统与电源设备,开展初步点火试验,验证了等离子体发生器的基本性能。结果表明:与仿真计算结果相比,设计状态工质下的放电电压误差为8%,点火试验测得的放电电压误差为6.25%,参数对比验证了等离子体发生器仿真模型计算可靠,设计的等离子体发生器符合预期,工作正常。     

圆柱形阳极层霍尔推力器内轮辐效应的实验研究

为了研究圆柱形阳极层霍尔推力器内关于电子反常输运的轮辐效应(Rotating Spoke),分别采用高速相机和静电探针来捕捉圆柱形阳极层霍尔推力器内的轮辐效应图像和等离子体震荡频率。结果表明:在放电电压350V,放电电流3.5A,阳极上表面处的磁场强度为125Gs,工作气压为2×10-2Pa时,由测得轮辐效应的放电图像和波形可知,轮辐效应的频率为10kHz～12.5kHz。当磁场强度增加到205Gs,放电电流增加到4A时,轮辐效应的频率增加到25kHz,并且轮辐效应出现分裂和合并现象。此研究结果表明,圆柱形阳极层霍尔推力器内不仅存在轮辐效应现象以及角向电场,而且不同的工作参数会有不同的轮辐效应模式和频率。     

超快激光诱导等离子体成丝光谱

飞秒激光等离子体光丝大气中传输的独特物理过程在航天领域具有重要的应用前景。采用仿真与实验,验证了飞秒等离子体成丝的光谱展宽特征,获得了超快等离子体光丝在不同参数特征下,覆盖从可见到红外探测系统的波谱范围,及保持系统相对稳定的特征,对于借助强激光等离子体光丝光谱进行红外特征探测具有重要的启发作用。     

航煤裂解气低温自点火特性与等离子体助燃研究

为获得燃料低温自点火特性以及等离子体对燃料点火的促进作用,基于快速压缩机实验系统,研究了52％He稀释、当量比1.0、压力3.4MPa、温度877.7～915.9K条件下,航煤裂解气(29.4％CH4/30.8％C2H6/21.3％C2H4/18.5％C3H6)的自点火特性,并获得其点火延迟时间.在此基础上,采用放电与...     

分块阳极式激光支持的脉冲等离子体推力器实验研究

通过纳秒激光烧蚀羽流特性的研究证实了羽流分裂现象的存在,为了抑制羽流分裂现象可能带来的滞后烧蚀而将分块阳极构型引入激光支持的脉冲等离子体推力器中,由此首次提出了分块阳极式激光支持的脉冲等离子体推力器的概念.通过实验对比研究了分块阳极和正常阳极构型的放电特性参数、性能参数和放电电弧发展演化等特性.结果表明,分块阳极构型能...