TY - JOUR
T1 - Time-resolved measurements of impulse generation in pulsed laser-ablative propulsion
AU - Anj, Kohei
AU - Sawada, Keisuke
AU - Sasoh, Akihiro
AU - Mori, Koichi
AU - Zaretsky, Eugene
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors cordially acknowledge valuable technical support from T. Ogawa, Technical Division, Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University and A. Saito, Technical Division, School of Engineering, Nagoya University. This research was supported by “Ground-Based Research Program for Space Utilization” promoted by Japan Space Forum, and by the Japan Society for Promotion of Science as KAKENHI (in Japanese), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, No. 19206089.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Impulse generation mechanisms in pulsed laser ablation were experimentally studied using the velocity interferometer system for any reflector and framing Schlieren visualization. The impulse was estimated from the rear surface velocity at the center of the laser irradiated spot The fluence was from 13 to 24 J/cm2. In most cases, the propulsive force generated even after the primary laser power peak significantly contributed to the total impulse. With the combination of transversely excited atmospheric C02 laser and aluminum target, only air breakdown was induced on the target surface without ablation and the impulse level was low. With decreasing ambient pressure P0, the impulse also decreased, and eventually vanished. With the combination of Nd: YAG laser and aluminum target, the ablation jet contributed to impulse generation and the impulse did not vanish even at vanishing P 0. When a transversely excited atmospheric C02 laser pulse was directed onto the polyacetal target, the impulse increased by a factor of 10 in comparison with the aluminum target, yielding a momentum coupling coefficient exceeding 400 μN · s/J. When P0 was at atmospheric pressure, the laser plasma shielded the target surface against the proceeding laser power transmission and the impulse saturated at a lower value than at P0 = 10-2 Pa.
AB - Impulse generation mechanisms in pulsed laser ablation were experimentally studied using the velocity interferometer system for any reflector and framing Schlieren visualization. The impulse was estimated from the rear surface velocity at the center of the laser irradiated spot The fluence was from 13 to 24 J/cm2. In most cases, the propulsive force generated even after the primary laser power peak significantly contributed to the total impulse. With the combination of transversely excited atmospheric C02 laser and aluminum target, only air breakdown was induced on the target surface without ablation and the impulse level was low. With decreasing ambient pressure P0, the impulse also decreased, and eventually vanished. With the combination of Nd: YAG laser and aluminum target, the ablation jet contributed to impulse generation and the impulse did not vanish even at vanishing P 0. When a transversely excited atmospheric C02 laser pulse was directed onto the polyacetal target, the impulse increased by a factor of 10 in comparison with the aluminum target, yielding a momentum coupling coefficient exceeding 400 μN · s/J. When P0 was at atmospheric pressure, the laser plasma shielded the target surface against the proceeding laser power transmission and the impulse saturated at a lower value than at P0 = 10-2 Pa.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=43849105259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=43849105259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2514/1.32017
DO - 10.2514/1.32017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:43849105259
VL - 24
SP - 322
EP - 329
JO - Journal of Propulsion and Power
JF - Journal of Propulsion and Power
SN - 0748-4658
IS - 2
ER -