Development of nanosecond combined volume discharge with plasma electrodes in an air flow

The space-time characteristics of a nanosecond combined volume discharge with preionization from a plasma sheet with a nanosecond duration in air (～200 ns) are investigated. The integral discharge radiation, radiation spectrum, and discharge current under conditions within the discharge volume, including gas-dynamic flow with a planar shock wave, are analyzed. It is shown that the volume discharge glow is homogeneous in the master phase. The glow in the area of the shock-wave front increases and its duration may be more than 2 μs.     

Pulsed volume discharge with preionization in two-dimensional gasdynamic flow

The interaction between a pulsed volume discharge with preionization by ultraviolet radiation from plasma sheets and a gasdynamic flow with a known density distribution is studied experimentally. The complex quasi-two-dimensional flow that emerges after the diffraction of a plane shock wave by rectangular obstacles in the channel is experimentally studied and numerically simulated. The glow intensity fields for an unsteady gasdynamic flow are imaged for the first time when recording the plasma radiation from a pulsed discharge in the flow. Since the ionization duration is short (150–200 ns), the gas-flow structure does not change and the flow does not heat up in the glow time of the discharge plasma in the flow. Our images are compared with the reciprocal-density fields of the corresponding two-dimensional gas flow. The effects of gasdynamic structures on the discharge plasma redistribution in the flow are analyzed. The energy contribution is localized into low-density zones (vortices, rarefaction waves) and into regions of density jumps and significant density gradients. The discharge current from adjacent regions with low E/N is redistributed into these zones. Breakdown channels are formed along rarefaction waves, vortices, and discontinuity surfaces between high-electron-density regions.     

Model of pulsed electric discharge expansion in dense gas taking into account electron and radiative thermal conductivities. I. Expansion mechanism

Using an ionization sensor, it was found that weakly ionized plasma with an ionization degree larger than 10^?6 is formed under exposure to UV radiation of a high-current pulsed electric discharge in gas (air, nitrogen, xenon, and krypton) at atmospheric pressure at a distance of ～1.2–2.5 cm from the discharge boundary. It was shown that the structure of such discharge includes, in addition to the discharge channel, a dense shell and a shock wave, also a region of weakly ionized and excited gas before the shock wave front. The mechanism of discharge expansion in dense gas is ionization and heating of gas involved in the discharge due to absorption of the UV energy flux from the discharge channel and the flux of the thermal energy transferred from the discharge channel to the discharge shell due to electron thermal conductivity.     

Interaction of an Optical Discharge with a Shock Wave

The results of an experimental study of the impact of the focused pulsed-periodic radiation from a CO₂ laser on a gas-dynamic structure in a supersonic jet are presented. The radiation of the CO₂ laser is propagated across the stream and focused by a lens on the axis of the supersonic jet. To register the flow structure, a shadow scheme with a slit and a flat knife located along the flow is used. The image is fixed by a speed camera with an exposure time of 1.5 μs and a frame rate of 1000 1/s. In the flow, the plasma initiated by the pulsedperiodic laser is visualized in order to identify and determine the period of plasma development, as well as the motion of the initial front of the shock wave. It is shown that at the transverse input of laser radiation into the stream the periodic structure of the thermal trace is created with the formation of an unsteady shock wave from the energy release zone. At small repetition rates of laser radiation pulses, the thermal spot interacts with the flow in the pulsed mode. It is shown that elliptic nonstationary shock waves are formed only at low subsonic flow velocities and in a stationary atmosphere. The process of nonstationary ignition by an optical discharge of a methane–air mixture during a subsonic outflow into a motionless atmosphere is shown experimentally. The results of optical visualization indicate burning in the trace behind the optical discharge region.     

On the possibility of controlling transonic profile flow with energy deposition by means of a plasma-sheet nanosecond discharge

A way of effectively affecting the gasdynamic structures of a transonic flow over a surface by means of instantaneous local directed energy deposition into a near-surface layer is proposed. Experimental investigations into the influence of a pulsed high-current nanosecond surface discharge of the “plasma sheet” type on gas fast flow with a shock wave near the surface are carried out. The self-localization of energy deposition into a low-pressure region in front of the shock wave is described. Based on this effect, a facility for automated energy deposition into a dynamic region bounded by the moving shock front can be designed. The limiting value of the specific energy deposition on the surface in front of the shock wave is found. With the help of the direct-shadow method, an unsteady quasi-two-dimensional discontinuous flow arising when a plasma sheet is initiated on the wall in a flow with a plane shock wave is studied. By numerically solving the two-dimensional nonstationary equations of gas dynamics, the influence of the energy of a pulsed nanosecond discharge, which is applied in the frequency regime, on the aerodynamic characteristics of a high-lift profile is investigated. It is ascertained that the energy delivered to the gas before the closing shock wave in a local supersonic region that is located in the neighborhood of the profile contour in zones extended along the profile considerably decreases the wave drag of the profile.     

Direct evidence for thermal mechanism of plasma influence on shock wave propagation

Shock wave propagation through a glow discharge is studied by a double beam laser Schlieren method. A pulsed discharge is used to separate electron and other plasma related phenomena from thermal effects. The results prove the pure thermal nature of the influence of a plasma on a shock wave.     

Nanosecond volume gas discharge in a flow with gasdynamic discontinuities

Experimental results concerning the interaction of pulsed volume ionization with the supersonic gas flow in a shock tube are described. The spatiotemporal and spectral characteristics of a nanosecond volume discharge plasma with ultraviolet preionization from plasma electrodes are presented. It is shown that the ionization region can be localized using gasdynamic discontinuities. The coincidence of the glow region with the discharge energy release region is discussed.     

Shadowgraph investigation of plasma shock wave evolution from Al target under 355-nm laser ablation

The propagation of a plasma shock wave generated from an Al target surface ablated by a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser operating at 355 nm in air is investigated at the different focusing positions of the laser beam by using a time-resolved shadowgraph imaging technique. The results show that in the case of a target surface set at the off-focus position, the condition of the focal point behind or in front of the target surface greatly influences the evolution of an Al plasma shock wave, and an ionization channel forms in the case of the focal point set in front of the target surface. Moreover, it is found that the shadowgraph with the evolution time around 100 ns shows that a protrusion appears at the front tip of the shock wave if the focal point is at the target surface. In addition, the calculated results of the expanding velocity of the shock wave front, the mass density, and pressure just behind the shock wave front are presented based on the shadowgraphs.     

Charged Particle Distribution near the Shock Front in a Glow Discharge

The charged particle distribution near the front of a shock wave propagating in the glow discharge plasma has been investigated. It has been found that the ion concentration before the front varies nonmonotonically. Behind the shock front, the charged particle concentration varies smoothly in contrast to the neutral component density.     

Emission characteristics of a discharge iodine vapor plasma in the spectral region of the main absorption maximum of DNA molecules

Radiation of glow and capacitive discharges in inert gas-iodine vapor mixtures is studied in the spectral range 150–210 nm, which coincides with the main absorption maximum of the DNA molecules. Iodine atomic spectral lines at 150.7, 161.8, 170.2, 183.0, and 206.2 nm are observed in the spectra. The emission intensity of the iodine spectral lines is optimized by varying the glow discharge current, capacitive discharge frequency, as well as pressure and composition of the gas mixtures. The glow and capacitive discharges are ignited in cylindrical quartz tubes with interelectrode gaps of 10 and 6 cm. Helium and neon are found to be the most effective buffer gases. The optimum partial pressures of the light inert gases and iodine vapor in the glow discharge are within 0.4–0.6 kPa and 100–150 Pa, respectively. In the capacitive discharge in He(Ne)-I₂ mixtures, the optimum partial helium, neon, and iodine vapor pressures are within 0.8–2.0 kPa, 0.5–1.0 kPa, and ≤ 60 Pa, respectively. It is demonstrated that pulsed bactericidal radiation sources with light pulse lengths of 400–500 ns and continuous radiation sources emitting within the spectral range 150–207 nm can be designed on the basis of low-density iodine vapor plasma.     

Passage of the discharge current through the plasma–electrode interface in the electromagnetic rail accelerator channel

We investigate the phenomena that accompany the acceleration of a free plasma piston (without a striker) in the electromagnetic rail accelerator channel filled with different gases (argon, helium). An intense glow appears in the shock-compressed layer (SCL) in the case of strong shock waves that produce a high electron concentration (~10¹⁷–10¹⁸ cm^–3) behind the front. We have proposed that explosive electron emission (EEE) ensures the high-intensity emission of electrons, the passage of a part of the discharge current through the SCL, and the glow of the SCL. The velocity of a shock wave for which the strong electric field in the Debye layer at the cathode causes EEE from its surface and the passage of the current in the SCL has been determined. It has been concluded that, for high velocities of the plasma, the EEE is a universal mechanism that ensure the passage of a strong current through the interface between the cold electrode and the plasma.     

Model of pulsed electric discharge expansion in dense gas taking into account electron and radiative thermal conductivities. II. Energy balance and equation

Using an ionization sensor, it was found that weakly ionized plasma with an ionization degree larger than 10⁻⁶ is formed under exposure to UV radiation of a high-current pulsed electric discharge in gas (air, nitrogen, xenon, and krypton) at atmospheric pressure at a distance of ∼1.2–2.5 cm from the discharge boundary. It was shown that the structure of such discharge includes, in addition to the discharge channel, a dense shell and a shock wave, also a region of weakly ionized and excited gas before the shock wave front. The mechanism of discharge expansion in dense gas is ionization and heating of gas involved in the discharge due to absorption of the UV energy flux from the discharge channel and the flux of the thermal energy transferred from the discharge channel to the discharge shell due to electron thermal conductivity.     

Development of gas-dynamic perturbations propagating from a distributed sliding surface discharge

Results are presented from experimental studies of the plasma layer structure of a distributed sliding surface discharge excited in quiescent air and in a uniform gas flow behind a plane shock wave at gas densities of 0.03–0.30 kg/m³. The dynamics of weak shock waves generated after discharge initiation was studied. According to the experimental and simulation results, 40% of the discharge energy transforms into heat within a surface gas layer in the energy input stage, which lasts up to 200 ns.     

On shock initiation in brisant explosives by a high-current electron beam

The feasibility of shock initiation in thin pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) single crystals under the action of a pulsed high-current electron beam (0.25 MeV, 20 ns, 15 J/cm²) is shown experimentally. The real-time dynamic characteristics of crystal glow arising under the action of the electron beam and glow due to subsequent shock-wave-induced transformations are presented. A shock wave results from beam energy absorption and initiation of an exothermal chemical reaction in the irradiated layer.     

Gas dynamics and thermal-ionization instability of the cathode region of a glow discharge. Part II

The influence of the gas flow structure in the cathode sheath of a glow discharge on the discharge stability is studied numerically. The electric parameters are calculated in a diffusion-drift model that consistently takes into account associative dissociation as an additional electron source. The model also includes equations describing both the thermal mode of the cathode and the nonequilibrium physicochemical gas dynamics of a moderately rarefied gas. It is shown that, in a pulsed discharge, the increasing branch of the current-voltage characteristic, which is associated with the gas rarefaction behind the cathode shock wave, can change to a descending branch associated with the intensification of associative ionization. This gives rise to cathode sheath instability. The results of calculations agree well with experiments.     

Comparison of propagation of a shock wave in a decaying plasma in various gases

The effect of gas humidity and composition on shock wave splitting in the plasma of a decaying glow discharge is investigated in dried and moist air, nitrogen, and argon over various time periods after the discharge termination. The shapes of the signals reflecting the gas pressure distribution behind the shock wave in these media are approximately the same except for some values of decay time comparable to the characteristic time of decay of excited state concentration (including singlet oxygen) after the termination of the discharge (8 ms). The signals in the same four gases are compared quantitatively for different time periods after discharge termination by expanding the signal into a Fourier series. The free term and the second and third modes in the Fourier expansion are compared. Analysis is carried out for up to time periods of 60 ms.     

空心针-板电极大气压氩气辉光放电的特性研究

大气压均匀放电等离子体在工业领域具有非常广泛的应用前景,它是利用直流电源激励的空心针-板放电装置,以氩气为工作气体在大气压空气中产生均匀稳定的放电。对氩气流量和气隙间距对辉光放电发光特性的关系进行了研究,结果表明放电所产生的等离子体柱连接两个电极,发光较为均匀(观察不到放电丝)。在板电极附近放电等离子体柱直径最大,最大直径随着电流和气流的增大而增大。放电伏安特性研究发现,与低气压辉光放电相类似,两电极间的电压随着电流的增大而减小,并且随气流和气隙间距的增大而增大。对该大气压直流均匀放电在扫描范围为330～450 nm的光学发射光谱进行分析,获得了放电等离子体的分子振动温度和谱线强度比I_391.4/I_337.1随氩气流量和气隙间距的变化关系。I_391.4/I_337.1均随流量和气隙间距的增大而降低。对等离子体柱的I_391.4/I_337.1沿气流方向(等离子体柱轴向)进行了空间分辨测量,并进行了定性分析,结果表明,振动温度及电子平均能量随着远离空心针口距离的增大而增大。这些结果对大气压辉光放电在工业中的应用具有重要意义。     

Optical study of parameters of the passage of a shock wave from air to water

A study is made of the penetration of shock waves from air into water. The shock wave in air is generated as a result of dielectric breakdown induced by pulsed CO₂-laser radiation. A combination of the double-exposure shadow method and holographic interferometry is used to measure the shock-wave parameters. Density and pressure profiles behind the wave front are obtained at different times after onset of breakdown. It is shown experimentally that as the wave passes through the interface from the air to the water, there is a fourfold amplification of the pressure in the shock wave front. Estimates of the width of the shock wave front formed in the water are given in the context of studies of large-scale explosion processes. It is shown that simple empirical dependences, established in the course of studies of large-scale explosions, are also valid with certain corrections for microscopic laboratory experiments. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 39–43 (August 1998)     

Interaction of a glow discharge with a rarefied hypersonic flow in a curvilinear channel

A two-dimensional simulation model is used to study the gasdynamic structure of a rarefied hypersonic flow of molecular nitrogen in a curvilinear channel in which the lower surface carries the cathode section of the discharge gap whereas the upper surface serves as the anode. The electrodynamic structure of the glow discharge (the distribution of concentrations of charged species, current density, and electric potential) is examined. It was demonstrated that the burning of a glow discharge in a rarefied hypersonic flow makes it possible to effectively modify the shock wave structure of the flow.