The interaction of laser radiation with gases and plasma is considered theoretically and experimentally as one of the main processes defining production of efficient laser propulsion in the air-breathing and rocket regimes. Laser breakdown of gases is examined as a phenomenon initiating laser power input into plasma ignition. To determine such characteristics of multi-ionized plasma as degree of ionization and its thermodynamic functions as a dependence on the initial density of gas and its temperature, semi-empirical model of the plasma is applied. The model allows specifying the thermodynamic functions of the plasma and estimating efficiency of the thrust production under the high-peak power of laser pulses.
The experimental data on laser-induced plasma are examined to determine efficiency of laser power input into the plasma on basis of the local explosion theory. At that, shock waves propagating out of the plasma region are assumed to possess the information on specific energy that was released in the breakdown region.
Basic Gas-Dynamic Theories of the Laser Air-Breathing and Rocket Propulsion
SS Atomic, Opt., Plasma Phys.
2021-08-26
49 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
Raizer’s theory , Saha’s equations , Bell type vehicle , Non-isentropic gas flow , Equilibrium plasma , “Explosive” mechanism of plasma ignition , Laser breakdown of gaseous propellants , Multi-ionized plasma , “Pulsejet” mode of thrust production , Boltzmann distribution function , Laser mover , Rocket propulsion , Degree of plasma ionization , Parabolic nozzle , Air-breathing propulsion , Local explosion theory , Thrust impulse , Gas-dynamics of laser propulsion , Beam array concentrator , Inverse Bremsstrahlung effect , Non-equilibrium plasma Plasma Physics , Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology , Physics and Astronomy , Aerospace Technology and Astronautics , Engineering Fluid Dynamics , Optics, Lasers, Photonics, Optical Devices , Physics