CARS Measurement of Vibrational/Rotational Temperatures with Total Radiation Visualization behind Strong Shock Waves of 5-7 km/s.

In the development of aerospace technology the design of space vehicles is important in phase of reentry flight. The space vehicles reenter into the atmosphere with range of 6-8 km/s. The non-equilibrium flow with radiative heating from strongly shocked air ahead of the vehicles plays an important role on the heat flux to the wall surface structure as well as convective heating. The experimental data for re-entry analyses, however, have remained in classical level. Recent development of optical instruments enables us to have novel approach of diagnostics to the re-entry problems. We employ the CARS (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy) method for measurement of real gas temperatures of N2 with radiation of the strong shock wave. The CARS signal can be acquired even in the strong radiation area behind the strong shock waves. In addition, we try to use the CCD camera to obtain 2D images of total radiation simultaneously. The strong shock wave in front of the reentering space vehicles is experimentally realigned by free-piston, double-diaphragm shock tube with low density test gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]