Performance of a Low-Density Hypersonic Magneto-Aerodynamic Facility

Abstract : A hypersonic, weakly ionized gas experimental facility has been successfully developed for magnetoaerodynamics basic research. The weakly ionized air is generated by a combination of direct current discharge, radio frequency discharge, and a combination of both in a blow-down, open jet, Mach 5 flow channel. The plasma field is characterized by electron temperatures around 10,000 K, and electron number density up to 2x10(exp 12) cu cm. The magnetic field is provided by a steady sate solenoid that can generate a maximum field up to three Tesla and an array of permanent magnets. In this environment, the maximum ma magneto-aerodynamic interaction parameter per unit length is around 1.5 per meter. A collection of plasma diagnostic tools including emission spectroscopy, microwave absorption, and Langmuir probes also are available.