Excited oxygen kinetics at electronvolt temperatures via 5-MHz RF-diplexed laser absorption spectroscopy.

A multi-MHz laser absorption sensor at 777.2 nm (12,863c m -1) is developed for simultaneous sensing of (1) O(5 S 0) number density, (2) electron number density, and (3) translational temperature at conditions relevant to high-speed entry conditions and molecular dissociation. This sensor leverages a bias tee circuit with a distributed feedback diode laser and an optimization of the laser current modulation waveform to enable temporal resolution of sub-microsecond kinetics at electronvolt temperatures. In shock-heated O 2, the precision of the temperature measurement is tested at 5 MHz and is found to be within ±5% from 6000 to 12,000 K at pressures from 0.1 to 1 atm. The present sensor is also demonstrated in a CO:Ar mixture, in parallel with a diagnostic for CO rovibrational temperature, providing an additional validation across 7500-9700 K during molecular dissociation. A demonstration of the electron number density measurement near 11,000 K is performed and compared to a simplified model of ionization. Finally, as an illustration of the utility of this high-speed diagnostic, the measurement of the heavy particle excitation rate of O(5 S 0) is extended beyond the temperatures available in the literature and is found to be well represented by k(3 P→5 S 0)=2.7×10-14 T 0.5 exp⁡(-1.428×104/T)c m 3⋅s -1 from 5400 to 12,200 K.

High-speed mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy of CO 2 for shock-induced thermal non-equilibrium studies of planetary entry.

A high-speed laser absorption technique is employed to resolve spectral transitions of CO 2 in the mid-infrared at MHz rates to infer non-equilibrium populations/temperatures of translation, rotation and vibration in shock-heated CO 2 - Ar mixtures. An interband cascade laser (DFB-ICL) resolves 4 transitions within the CO 2 asymmetric stretch fundamental bands ( Δ v 3 = 1) near 4.19 µ m . The sensor probes a wide range of rotational energies as well as two vibrational states (00 0 0 and 01 1 0). The sensor is demonstrated on the UCLA high enthalpy shock tube, targeting temperatures between 1250 and 3100 K and sub-atmospheric pressures (up to 0.2 atm). The sensor is sensitive to multiple temperatures over a wide range of conditions relevant to Mars entry radiation. Vibrational relaxation times are resolved and compared to existing models of thermal non-equilibrium. Select conditions highlight the shortcomings of modeling CO 2 non-equilibrium with a single vibrational temperature.