Automated image processing method to quantify rotating detonation wave behavior.

An image processing technique is developed to automatically determine both average and instantaneous detonation wave properties within a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) using high-speed imaging. This method entails segmenting the imaged RDRE annulus into 200 azimuthal bins and tracking integrated pixel intensity in each bin. By combining individual pixel intensity temporal histories across the azimuthal bins, this provides what is termed a detonation surface that visualizes the propagation of the individual detonation fronts azimuthally around the annulus. Average detonation modal properties including wave speed Uwv, operational frequency fdet, and the number of waves m are determined automatically through a two-dimensional Fourier analysis of the detonation surface data. Also, instantaneous wave speeds Uwv for each individual detonation are determined by taking the numerical derivative of each waves' angular position temporal history from the detonation surface. This provides useful insight into wave-to-wave variability for an operating condition, as well as denoting modal transitions and mode stability. For the flow conditions investigated, the number of waves ranges from 2 to 14, with Uwv varying between 900 and 1700 m/s, corresponding to 33%-71% of the ideal Chapman-Jouguet detonation speed; these modes exhibit an operational frequency of 20-45 kHz, with an average of 40 kHz. Overall, these measurements advance the understanding of RDRE's and may lead to performance gains above those achievable from constant pressure engines.

Time-synchronized continuous wave laser-induced fluorescence on an oscillatory xenon discharge.

A novel approach to time-synchronizing laser-induced fluorescence measurements to an oscillating current in a 60 Hz xenon discharge lamp using a continuous wave laser is presented. A sample-hold circuit is implemented to separate out signals at different phases along a current cycle, and is followed by a lock-in amplifier to pull out the resulting time-synchronized fluorescence trace from the large background signal. The time evolution of lower state population is derived from the changes in intensity of the fluorescence excitation line shape resulting from laser-induced fluorescence measurements of the 6s(')[1/2](1)(0)-6p(')[3/2](2) xenon atomic transition at λ = 834.68 nm. Results show that the lower state population oscillates at twice the frequency of the discharge current, 120 Hz.

Kr II laser-induced fluorescence for measuring plasma acceleration.

We present the application of laser-induced fluorescence of singly ionized krypton as a diagnostic technique for quantifying the electrostatic acceleration within the discharge of a laboratory cross-field plasma accelerator also known as a Hall effect thruster, which has heritage as spacecraft propulsion. The 728.98 nm Kr II transition from the metastable 5d(4)D(7/2) to the 5p(4)P(5/2)(∘) state was used for the measurement of laser-induced fluorescence within the plasma discharge. From these measurements, it is possible to measure velocity as krypton ions are accelerated from near rest to approximately 21 km/s (190 eV). Ion temperature and the ion velocity distributions may also be extracted from the fluorescence data since available hyperfine splitting data allow for the Kr II 5d(4)D(7/2)-5p(4)P(5/2)(∘) transition lineshape to be modeled. From the analysis, the fluorescence lineshape appears to be a reasonable estimate for the relatively broad ion velocity distributions. However, due to an apparent overlap of the ion creation and acceleration regions within the discharge, the distributed velocity distributions increase ion temperature determination uncertainty significantly. Using the most probable ion velocity as a representative, or characteristic, measure of the ion acceleration, overall propellant energy deposition, and effective electric fields may be calculated. With this diagnostic technique, it is possible to nonintrusively characterize the ion acceleration both within the discharge and in the plume.

Anomalous electron mobility in a coaxial Hall discharge plasma.

A comprehensive analysis of measurements supporting the presence of anomalous cross-field electron mobility in Hall plasma accelerators is presented. Nonintrusive laser-induced fluorescence measurements of neutral xenon and ionized xenon velocities, and various electrostatic probe diagnostic measurements are used to locally determine the effective electron Hall parameter inside the accelerator channel. These values are then compared to the classical (collision-driven) Hall parameters expected for a quiescent magnetized plasma. The results indicate that in the vicinity of the anode, where there are fewer plasma instabilities, the electron-transport mechanism is likely elastic collisions with the background neutral xenon. However, we find that in the vicinity of the discharge channel exit, where the magnetic field is the strongest and where there are intense fluctuations in the plasma properties, the inferred Hall parameter departs from the classical value, and is close to the Bohm value of (omega(ce)tau)(eff) approximately 16. These results are used to support a simple model for the Hall parameter that is based on the scalar addition of the electron collision frequencies (elastic collision induced plus fluctuation induced), as proposed by Boeuf and Garrigues [J. Appl. Phys. 84, 3541 (1998)]. The results also draw attention to the possible role of fluctuations in enhancing electron transport in regions where the electrons are highly magnetized.