Modeling Radio Communication Blackout and Blackout Mitigation in Hypersonic Vehicles

Abstract

A procedure for the modeling and analysis of radio communication blackout of hypersonic vehicles is presented. The weakly ionized plasma generated around the surface of a hypersonic reentry vehicle is simulated using full Navier–Stokes equations in multispecies single fluid form. A seven-species air chemistry model is used to compute the individual species densities in air including ionization: plasma densities are compared with the experiment. The electromagnetic wave’s interaction with the plasma layer is modeled using multifluid equations for fluid transport and full Maxwell’s equations for the electromagnetic fields. The multifluid solver is verified for a whistler wave propagating through a slab. First principles radio communication blackout over a hypersonic vehicle is demonstrated along with a simple blackout mitigation scheme using a magnetic window.