Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility

Spacecraft entering a planetary atmosphere are surrounded by a plasma layer containing high levels of ionization, due to the extreme temperatures in the shock layer. The high electron number densities cause attenuation of the electromagnetic waves emitted by the on-board antennas, leading to communi...

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Autores: Luís, Diana Zaida Felgueiras, Giangaspero, Vincent, Viladegut Farran, Alan, Lani, Andrea, Camps Carmona, Adriano José|||0000-0002-9514-4992, Chazot, Olivier
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Recursos:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/394242
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/394242
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.028
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Radio wave propagation
Communication blackout
Radio signal propagation
Plasma flow
Inductively coupled plasma wind tunnel
Electron number density
Ray tracing
Ones de ràdio -- Propagació
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Processament del senyal
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spelling Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facilityLuís, Diana Zaida FelgueirasGiangaspero, VincentViladegut Farran, AlanLani, AndreaCamps Carmona, Adriano José|||0000-0002-9514-4992Chazot, OlivierRadio wave propagationCommunication blackoutRadio signal propagationPlasma flowInductively coupled plasma wind tunnelElectron number densityRay tracingOnes de ràdio -- PropagacióÀrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Processament del senyalSpacecraft entering a planetary atmosphere are surrounded by a plasma layer containing high levels of ionization, due to the extreme temperatures in the shock layer. The high electron number densities cause attenuation of the electromagnetic waves emitted by the on-board antennas, leading to communication blackout for several minutes. This work presents experimental measurements of signal propagation through an ionized plasma flow. The measurements are conducted at the VKI plasma wind tunnel (Plasmatron) using conical horn antennas transmitting in the Ka-band, between 33 and 40 GHz. Testing conditions at 15, 50 and 100 mbar, and powers between 100 and 600 kW cover a broad range of the testing envelope of the Plasmatron as well as a broad range of atmospheric entry conditions. The transmitting antenna is characterized at the UPC anechoic chamber, obtaining the radiation patterns, beamwidth, and gain at the boresight direction; and an optical ray tracing technique is used to describe the electromagnetic waves propagation in the plasma flowfield inside of the Plasmatron chamber. The signal propagation measurements show clear attenuation when the signal is propagating through the plasma, varying between 2 and 15 dB depending on the testing conditions. This attenuation increases with electron number densities, which are driven by the Plasmatron power and pressure settings. Preliminary evidence of Faraday rotation effects caused by the plasma is also observed.Diana Luís research is funded by a doctoral fellowship (2021.04930.BD) granted by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT Portugal). The research of Vincent Fitzgerald Giangaspero is supported by SB PhD fellowship 1SA8219N of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO). The resources and services used for the BORAT simulations were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) and the Flemish Government. The MEESST project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 899298.Peer Reviewed20232023-11-0120232023-09-28journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2117/394242https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.028reponame:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPCinstname:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Attribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/3942422026-05-27T15:37:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
title Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
spellingShingle Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
Luís, Diana Zaida Felgueiras
Radio wave propagation
Communication blackout
Radio signal propagation
Plasma flow
Inductively coupled plasma wind tunnel
Electron number density
Ray tracing
Ones de ràdio -- Propagació
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Processament del senyal
title_short Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
title_full Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
title_fullStr Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
title_full_unstemmed Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
title_sort Effect of electron number densities on the radio signal propagation in an inductively coupled plasma facility
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Luís, Diana Zaida Felgueiras
Giangaspero, Vincent
Viladegut Farran, Alan
Lani, Andrea
Camps Carmona, Adriano José|||0000-0002-9514-4992
Chazot, Olivier
author Luís, Diana Zaida Felgueiras
author_facet Luís, Diana Zaida Felgueiras
Giangaspero, Vincent
Viladegut Farran, Alan
Lani, Andrea
Camps Carmona, Adriano José|||0000-0002-9514-4992
Chazot, Olivier
author_role author
author2 Giangaspero, Vincent
Viladegut Farran, Alan
Lani, Andrea
Camps Carmona, Adriano José|||0000-0002-9514-4992
Chazot, Olivier
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Radio wave propagation
Communication blackout
Radio signal propagation
Plasma flow
Inductively coupled plasma wind tunnel
Electron number density
Ray tracing
Ones de ràdio -- Propagació
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Processament del senyal
topic Radio wave propagation
Communication blackout
Radio signal propagation
Plasma flow
Inductively coupled plasma wind tunnel
Electron number density
Ray tracing
Ones de ràdio -- Propagació
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Processament del senyal
description Spacecraft entering a planetary atmosphere are surrounded by a plasma layer containing high levels of ionization, due to the extreme temperatures in the shock layer. The high electron number densities cause attenuation of the electromagnetic waves emitted by the on-board antennas, leading to communication blackout for several minutes. This work presents experimental measurements of signal propagation through an ionized plasma flow. The measurements are conducted at the VKI plasma wind tunnel (Plasmatron) using conical horn antennas transmitting in the Ka-band, between 33 and 40 GHz. Testing conditions at 15, 50 and 100 mbar, and powers between 100 and 600 kW cover a broad range of the testing envelope of the Plasmatron as well as a broad range of atmospheric entry conditions. The transmitting antenna is characterized at the UPC anechoic chamber, obtaining the radiation patterns, beamwidth, and gain at the boresight direction; and an optical ray tracing technique is used to describe the electromagnetic waves propagation in the plasma flowfield inside of the Plasmatron chamber. The signal propagation measurements show clear attenuation when the signal is propagating through the plasma, varying between 2 and 15 dB depending on the testing conditions. This attenuation increases with electron number densities, which are driven by the Plasmatron power and pressure settings. Preliminary evidence of Faraday rotation effects caused by the plasma is also observed.
publishDate 2023
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023
2023-11-01
2023
2023-09-28
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2117/394242
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.028
url https://hdl.handle.net/2117/394242
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.028
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
instname:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
instname_str Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
reponame_str UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
collection UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.301603

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