Multiple Plumes Research Articles

Mobile air monitoring data-processing strategies and effects on spatial air pollution trends

Abstract. The collection of real-time air quality measurements while in motion (i.e., mobile monitoring) is currently conducted worldwide to evaluate in situ emissions, local air quality trends, and air pollutant exposure. This measurement strategy pushes the limits of traditional data analysis with complex second-by-second multipollutant data varying as a function of time and location. Data reduction and filtering techniques are often applied to deduce trends, such as pollutant spatial gradients downwind of a highway. However, rarely do mobile monitoring studies report the sensitivity of their results to the chosen data-processing approaches. The study being reported here utilized 40 h (> 140 000 observations) of mobile monitoring data collected on a roadway network in central North Carolina to explore common data-processing strategies including local emission plume detection, background estimation, and averaging techniques for spatial trend analyses. One-second time resolution measurements of ultrafine particles (UFPs), black carbon (BC), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were collected on 12 unique driving routes that were each sampled repeatedly. The route with the highest number of repetitions was used to compare local exhaust plume detection and averaging methods. Analyses demonstrate that the multiple local exhaust plume detection strategies reported produce generally similar results and that utilizing a median of measurements taken within a specified route segment (as opposed to a mean) may be sufficient to avoid bias in near-source spatial trends. A time-series-based method of estimating background concentrations was shown to produce similar but slightly lower estimates than a location-based method. For the complete data set the estimated contributions of the background to the mean pollutant concentrations were as follows: BC (15%), UFPs (26%), CO (41%), PM2.5-10 (45%), NO2 (57%), PM10 (60%), PM2.5 (68%). Lastly, while temporal smoothing (e.g., 5 s averages) results in weak pair-wise correlation and the blurring of spatial trends, spatial averaging (e.g., 10 m) is demonstrated to increase correlation and refine spatial trends.

Visualization of space competition and plume formation with complex potentials for multiple source flows: Some examples and novel application to Chao lava flow (Chile)

AbstractFluid displacement in a continuum pressured by a variable constellation of source flows can be visualized as solutions of line integrals. The algorithms are based on complex potentials that provide exact solutions of the Navier‐Stokes equation and allow users to specify both the location and flux strength of multiple sources. If relative strength and positioning of the sources are varied, a wide range of flow patterns and particle paths can be traced. Time‐dependent variations in the strength of the sources can account for transient‐flow problems. A further expansion is superposition of a background flow, which displaces the particle paths issued from the sources into concentrated plumes. The outlined modeling technique for visualization of multiple plume displacements is potentially relevant for a wide spectrum of practical situations. Detailed applications are possible, such as time tracking of groundwater‐plume migration from a series of pollution sources, tracking of salt‐feeder‐stock flow and suture zone formation when salt issued from the stocks coalesces into a salt canopy, and designing of optimal spacing and relative pressure strength of multiple water injection wells in field‐development plans for hydrocarbon production. Further applications are highlighted in the main text, including a simulation of geometrical features exposed in the Chao coulee (Chilean Andes).

Receiver function imaging of lithospheric structure and the onset of melting beneath the Galápagos Archipelago

The Galápagos Archipelago represents an opportunity to investigate the properties of young oceanic lithosphere, the effects of a hotspot anomaly on lithospheric thickness, and melting dynamics in a hotspot-ridge interaction. Here we use data recorded by the SIGNET array and permanent station PAYG on the Islands Santa Cruz and Isabela, respectively. We used P-to-S (Ps) and S-to-P (Sp) receiver functions to constrain crust and mantle structure. A simultaneous deconvolution method was used to constrain 1-D structure and also for the modeling of robust features. A migrated extended multitaper method was used to investigate 3-D structural variations. Ps images a velocity increase with depth at 11±7 km, probably the base of the pre-plume crust, or old Moho. Sp imaging and modeling images a second, deeper velocity increase at 37±7 km depth. A velocity decrease with depth is imaged on average at 75±12 km likely associated with the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary. This discontinuity is imaged deeper, 82 km, in the southwest and shallower, 66 km, in the northeast near the spreading ridge. Although the trend is consistent with lithospheric thickening with age, the thickness is much larger than predicted by conductive cooling models of 0–10 My oceanic lithosphere. We infer a compositional contribution to velocity variations. Finally, a velocity increase with depth is imaged at ∼125 to 145±15 km depth that is likely associated with the onset of melting. The discontinuity is imaged deeper in 3 sectors of the Galápagos platform-ridge region, all coincident with the slowest surface wave shear velocity anomalies in the upper 100 km. One is located in the southwest in a hypothesized plume location. The other two are to the northwest and northeast, possibly illuminating multiple plume diversions related to complex plume–ridge interactions.

Longitudinal characteristics of spread F backscatter plumes observed with the EAR and Sanya VHF radar in Southeast Asia

AbstractThe development of equatorial plasma irregularity plumes can be well recorded by steerable backscatter radars operated at and off the magnetic equator due to the fact that the vertically extended plume structures are tracers of magnetically north‐south aligned larger scale structures. From observations during March 2012, using two low latitude steerable backscatter radars in Southeast Asia, the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) (0.2°S, 100.3°E; dip lat 10.4°S) and the Sanya VHF radar (18.4°N, 109.6°E; dip lat 12.8°N), the characteristics of backscatter plumes over the two sites separated in longitude by ~1000 km were simultaneously investigated. The beam steering measurements reveal frequent occurrences of multiple plumes over both radar sites, of which two cases are analyzed here. The observations on 30 March 2012 show plume structures initiated within the radar scanned area, followed by others drifting from the west of the radar beam over both stations. A tracing analysis on the onset locations of plasma plumes reveals spatially well‐separated backscatter plumes, with a maximum east‐west wavelength of about 1000 km, periodically generated in longitudes between 85°E and 110°E. The postsunset backscatter plumes seen by the Sanya VHF radar are found to be due to the passage of sunset plumes initiated around the longitude of EAR. Most interestingly, the EAR measurements on the night of 21 March 2012 show multiple plume structures that developed successively in the radar scanned area with east‐west separation of ~50 km, with however no sunset plasma plume over Sanya. Colocated ionogram measurements show that spread F irregularities occurred mainly in the bottomside F region at Sanya, whereas satellite traces in ionograms that are indications of large‐scale wave structures were observed on that night at both stations. Possible causes for the longitudinal difference in the characteristics of radar backscatter plumes are discussed.

‘It’s always dark in front of the pickaxe’: Organizing ignorance in the long-term remediation of contaminated land

This article departs from the view in which ignorance is seen as necessarily detrimental and analyses how specified ignorance (here called ‘nonknowledge’) can even serve as a productive resource. By using the example of cleaning up contaminated land in a timely and effective manner, it is argued that nonknowledge is a useful resource; in some instances, on a par with knowledge in its importance. The article discusses some of the strategies used to cope with ongoing situations involving ignorance in the remediation of areas containing multiple contaminant sources and plumes. Analysis of these processes indicates that planning and policymaking may benefit when limits to knowledge are openly acknowledged.

Interaction of multiple plasma plumes in an atmospheric pressure plasma jet array

Plasma jet arrays are considered a viable means to enhance the scale of a downstream surface treatment beyond that possible using a single plasma jet. Of paramount importance in many processing applications is the uniformity of the plasma exposure on the substrate, which can be compromised when multiple plasma jets are arranged in close proximity due to their interaction. This contribution explores a dielectric barrier plasma jet array consisting of multiple individually ballasted jets. It is shown that capacitive ballasting is a promising technique to allow simultaneous operation of the plasma plumes without the losses associated with resistive ballasting. The interaction between adjacent plasma plumes and the background gas is investigated with Schlieren imaging; it is shown that the strong repulsive force between each plasma plume causes a divergence in propagation trajectory and a reduction in the laminar flow length with significant ramifications for any downstream surface treatment.

Atmospheric structure and dynamics: the spatial and temporal domains

Multi-wavelength studies of M supergiants have revealed atmospheric structures with a large range of spatial and temporal scales. Focusing on Betelgeuse, these scales and their perplexing connections from the photosphere to the interstellar medium are reviewed. Of particular current interest is the dynamic origin of the ubiquitous and relatively dust-free mass loss. Is it multiple plumes of convection driven ejecta, episodic ejection of molecular reservoirs, or a more steady and uniform flow? With powerful new facilities such as the VLT and ALMA we may begin to understand the connections and answer such puzzles, but ultimately detailed studies of a sample of M supergiants will be needed to disentangle the physics from the stars’ personalities.

Mushy-layer dynamics in micro and hyper gravity

We describe the results of experiments on mushy layers grown from aqueous ammonium chloride solution in normal, micro, and hyper gravity environments. In the fully developed chimney state, the chimney plume dynamics differ strikingly when conditions change from micro to hyper gravity. In microgravity, we find fully arrested plume motion and suppressed convection. As gravity exceeds Earth conditions, we observe a host of phenomena, ranging from arched plumes that undergo forced Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities to in-phase multiple plume oscillatory behavior. For the same initial solute concentrations and fixed boundary cooling temperatures, we find that, in runs of over two hours, the averaged effects of microgravity and hypergravity result in suppressed growth of the mushy layers, a phenomenon caused by a net enhancement of convective heat and solute transport from the liquid to the mushy layers. These behaviors are placed in the context of the theory of convecting mushy layers as studied under normal laboratory conditions.

Evaluating the performance of the horizontal radial plume mapping technique for locating multiple plumes

This paper evaluated the feasibility of using the horizontal radial plume mapping (HRPM) technique to locate multiple emission sources via computational simulation. Seventy-two test maps, each having two Gaussian distributions, were generated in a two-dimensional domain. The HRPM technique with the non-negative least square (NNLS) algorithm was then applied to reconstruct the plumes, assuming a nine-beam scanning beam geometry. The NNLS algorithm successfully reconstructed the source locations of 68 of the 72 test maps. However, when one of the plumes was near the origin, the NNLS did not always identify the peak locations correctly. Furthermore, when the two plumes were spaced closely, the NNLS tended to reconstruct a wide plume covering both plumes instead of separating them due to the resolution limitation of the current nine-beam geometry. In the sensitivity analysis, five sets of random error (1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) were added in the path-integrated concentration (PIC) from the 72 test maps, and thus, an additional 360 reconstructions were implemented. Robust results were obtained when the noise added was less than 20%. The results generally support the implementation of the NNLS algorithm in the HRPM technique as described in the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) Other Test Method 10 (OTM-10). Implications: The methodology evaluated in this paper provides near-real-time estimates about the locations of multiple emission sources. The involved optical remote sensing instruments can monitor large spatial areas (e.g., landfills) in a cost-effective way. Supplementary Materials: Supplementary materials are available for this paper. Go to the publisher's online edition of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association for three failed cases of narrow plumes and examples of the translated grids.

Flow stagnation at Enceladus: The effects of neutral gas and charged dust

Enceladus is one of Saturn's most active moons. It ejects neutral gas and dust particles from its southern plumes with velocities of hundreds of meters per second. The interaction between the ejected material and the corotating plasma in Saturn's magnetosphere leads to flow deceleration in ways that remain to be understood. The most effective mechanism for the interaction between the corotating plasma and the neutral gas is charge exchange which replaces the hotter corotating ions with nearly stationary cold ions that are subsequently accelerated by the motional electric field. Dust particles in the plume can become electrically charged through electron absorption and couple to the plasma through the motional electric field. The objective of this study is to determine the level of flow deceleration associated with each of these processes using Cassini RPWS dust impact rates, Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) plasma data, and 3‐D electromagnetic hybrid (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) simulations. Hybrid simulations show that the degree of flow deceleration by charged dust varies considerably with the spatial distribution of dust particles. Based on the RPWS observations of dust impacts during the E7 Cassini flyby of Enceladus, we have constructed a dust model consisting of multiple plumes. Using this model in the hybrid simulation shows that when the dust density is high enough for complete absorption of electrons at the point of maximum dust density, the corotating flow is decelerated by only a few km/s. This is not sufficient to account for the CAPS observation of flow stagnation in the interaction region. On the other hand, charge exchange with neutral gas plumes similar to the modeled dust plumes but with base (plume opening) densities of ∼109 cm−3 result in flow deceleration similar to that observed by CAPS. The results indicate that charge exchange with neutral gas is the dominant mechanism for flow deceleration at Enceladus.

Voluminous ice-rich and water-rich lahars generated during the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

Redoubt Volcano in south-central Alaska began erupting on March 15, 2009, and by April 4, 2009, had produced at least 20 explosive events that generated multiple plumes of ash and numerous lahars. The 3108-m-high, snow- and ice-clad stratovolcano has an ice-filled summit crater that is breached to the north. The volcano supports about 4km3 of ice and snow and about 1km3 of this makes up the Drift glacier on the north side of the volcano. Explosive eruptions between March 23 and April 4, which included the destruction of at least two lava domes, triggered significant lahars in the Drift River valley on March 23 and April 4, and several smaller lahars between March 24 and March 31. Mud-line high-water marks, character of deposits, areas of inundation, and estimates of flow velocity revealed that the lahars on March 23 and April 4 were the largest of the eruption. In the 2-km-wide upper Drift River valley, average flow depths were at least 2–5m. Average peak-flow velocities were likely between 10 and 15ms−1, and peak discharges were on the order of 104–105m3s−1. The area inundated by lahars on March 23 was at least 100km2 and on April 4 about 125km2. Two substantial lahars emplaced on March 23 and one on April 4 had volumes on the order of 107–108m3 and were similar in size to the largest lahar of the 1989–90 eruption. The two principal March 23 lahars were primarily flowing slurries of snow and ice derived from Drift glacier and the Drift River valley where seasonal snow and tabular blocks of river ice were entrained and incorporated into the lahars. Despite morphologic evidence of two lahars, only a single deposit up to 5m thick was found in most places and it contained about 80–95% of poorly sorted, massive to imbricate assemblages of snow and ice clasts. The deposit was frozen soon after it was emplaced and later eroded and buried by the April 4 lahar. The lahar of April 4, in contrast, was primarily a hyperconcentrated flow, as interpreted from 1- to 6-m-thick deposits of massive to horizontally stratified sand to fine gravel. Rock material in the April 4 lahar deposit is predominantly juvenile andesite, whereas rock material in the March 23 deposit is rare and not obviously juvenile. We infer that the lahars generated on March 23 were initiated by a rapid succession of vent-clearing explosions that blasted through about 50–100m of crater-filling glacier ice and snow, producing a voluminous release of meltwater from Drift glacier. The resulting surge of water entrained snow, fragments of glacier and river ice, and river water along its flow path. Small-volume pyroclastic flows, possibly associated with destruction of a small dome or minor eruption-column collapses, may have contributed additional meltwater to the March 23 lahars. Meltwater generated by subglacial hydrothermal activity and stored beneath Drift glacier may have been ejected or released rapidly as well. The April 4 lahar was initiated when hot dome-collapse pyroclastic flows entrained and swiftly melted snow and ice on Drift glacier. The resulting meltwater incorporated pyroclastic debris and rock material from Drift glacier to form the largest lahar of the 2009 eruption. The peak discharge of the April 4 lahar was in the range of 60,000–160,000m3s−1. For comparison, the largest lahar of the 1989–90 eruption had a peak discharge of about 80,000m3s−1. Lahars generated by the 2009 eruption led to significant channel aggradation in the lower Drift River valley and caused extensive inundation at an oil storage and transfer facility located there. The April 4, 2009, lahar was 6–30 times larger than the largest meteorological floods known or estimated in the Drift River drainage.

Properties of Sarychev sulphate aerosols over the Arctic

Aerosols from the Sarychev Peak volcano entered the Arctic region less than a week after the strongest SO2eruption on June 15 and 16, 2009 and had, by the first week in July, spread out over the entire Arctic region. These predominantly stratospheric aerosols were determined to be sub‐micron in size and inferred to be composed of sulphates produced from the condensation of SO2gases emitted during the eruption. Average (500 nm) Sarychev‐induced stratospheric optical depths (SOD) over the Polar Environmental Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) at Eureka (Nunavut, Canada) were found to be between 0.03 and 0.05 during the months of July and August, 2009. This estimate, derived from sunphotometry and integrated lidar backscatter profiles was consistent with averages derived from lidar estimates over Ny‐Ålesund (Spitsbergen). The Sarychev SOD e‐folding time at Eureka, deduced from lidar profiles, was found to be approximately 4 months relative to a regression start date of July 27. These profiles initially revealed the presence of multiple Sarychev plumes between the tropopause and about 17 km altitude. After about two months, the complex vertical plume structures had collapsed into fewer, more homogeneous plumes located near the tropopause. It was found that the noisy character of daytime backscatter returns induced an artifactual minimum in the temporal, pan‐Arctic, CALIOP SOD response to Sarychev sulphates. A depolarization ratio discrimination criterion was used to separate the CALIOP stratospheric layer class into a low depolarization subclass which was more representative of Sarychev sulphates. Post‐SAT (post Sarychev Arrival Time) retrievals of the fine mode effective radius (reff,f) and the logarithmic standard deviation for two Eureka sites and Thule (Greenland) were all close to 0.25 μm and 1.6 respectively. The stratospheric analogue to the columnar reff,f average was estimated to be reff,f(+) = 0.29 μm for Eureka data. Stratospheric, Raman lidar retrievals at Ny‐Ålesund, yielded a post‐SAT average of reff,f(+) = 0.27 μm. These results are ∼50% larger than the background stratospheric‐aerosol value. They are also about a factor of two larger than modeling values used in recent publications or about a factor of five larger in terms of (per particle) backscatter cross section.

Evolving a Neural Olfactorimotor System in Virtual and Real Olfactory Environments

To provide a platform to enable the study of simulated olfactory circuitry in context, we have integrated a simulated neural olfactorimotor system with a virtual world which simulates both computational fluid dynamics as well as a robotic agent capable of exploring the simulated plumes. A number of the elements which we developed for this purpose have not, to our knowledge, been previously assembled into an integrated system, including: control of a simulated agent by a neural olfactorimotor system; continuous interaction between the simulated robot and the virtual plume; the inclusion of multiple distinct odorant plumes and background odor; the systematic use of artificial evolution driven by olfactorimotor performance (e.g., time to locate a plume source) to specify parameter values; the incorporation of the realities of an imperfect physical robot using a hybrid model where a physical robot encounters a simulated plume. We close by describing ongoing work toward engineering a high dimensional, reversible, low power electronic olfactory sensor which will allow olfactorimotor neural circuitry evolved in the virtual world to control an autonomous olfactory robot in the physical world. The platform described here is intended to better test theories of olfactory circuit function, as well as provide robust odor source localization in realistic environments.

OPTICAL AND DYNAMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF COMET-LIKE MAIN-BELT ASTEROID (596) SCHEILA

We present observations and a dynamical analysis of the comet-like main-belt object, (596) Scheila. V-band photometry obtained on UT 2010 December 12 indicates that Scheila's dust cloud has a scattering cross-section ~1.4 times larger than that of the nucleus, corresponding to a dust mass of M_d~3x10^7 kg. V-R color measurements indicate that both the nucleus and dust are redder than the Sun, with no significant color differences between the dust cloud's northern and southern plumes. We also undertake an ultimately unsuccessful search for CN emission, where we find CN and H2O production rates of Q(CN) < 9x10^23 s^-1 and Q(H2O) < 10^27 s^{-1}. Numerical simulations indicate that Scheila is dynamically stable for >100 Myr, suggesting that it is likely native to its current location. We also find that it does not belong to a dynamical asteroid family of any significance. We consider sublimation-driven scenarios that could produce the appearance of multiple plumes of dust emission, but reject them as being physically implausible. Instead, we concur with previous studies that the unusual morphology of Scheila's dust cloud is most simply explained by a single oblique impact, meaning this object is likely not a main-belt comet, but is instead the second disrupted asteroid after P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) to be discovered.

Cloud streets and land–water interactions in the Amazon

Cloud streets are common feature in the Amazon Basin. They form from the combination of the vertical trade wind stress and moist convection. Here, satellite imagery, data collected during the COBRA-PARA (Caxiuana Observations in the Biosphere, River and Atmosphere of Para) field campaign, and high resolution modeling are used to understand the streets′ formation and behavior. The observations show that the streets have an aspect ratio of about 3.5 and they reach their maximum activity around 15:00 UTC when the wind shear is weaker, and the convective boundary layer reaches its maximum height. The simulations reveal that the cloud streets onset is caused by the local circulations and convection produced at the interfaces between forest and rivers of the Amazon. The satellite data and modeling show that the large rivers anchor the cloud streets producing a quasi-stationary horizontal pattern. The streets are associated with horizontal roll vortices parallel to the mean flow that organizes the turbulence causing advection of latent heat flux towards the upward branches. The streets have multiple warm plumes that promote a connection between the rolls. These spatial patterns allow fundamental insights on the interpretation of the Amazon exchanges between surface and atmosphere with important consequences for the climate change understanding.

Source characteristics of hazardous Chihuahuan Desert dust outbreaks

The Chihuahuan Desert region is an important contributor to atmospheric dust loading and transport in North America; however, specific dust sources in this region are poorly characterized. Major dust events frequently are characterized by multiple dust plumes developing nearly simultaneously over a large region. Remote sensing data were used to identify the source locations and associated land cover for the most extreme dust events in the Chihuahuan Desert since 2002. Analysis of infrared channels utilizing brightness temperature differences was used to analyze data from geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites, from which dust sources were determined and located. This methodology was applied to the five dust events in the region that resulted in “hazardous” PM 10 levels in Texas per the USEPA’s Air Quality Index. Source locations determined from satellite images were used in conjunction with LANDSAT data and Google Earth™ images to determine the corresponding land-surface features. Agricultural lands, playas, and their edges are pointed out as focus areas for dust emission, at least during the most intense events. The 130 dust plume initiation sites were relatively uniformly spaced over the landscape, not clumped into a few “hotspots,” suggesting the role of spatiotemporally random meteorological factors in determining major points of emission within and between dust storms. These findings provide an initial characterization of Chihuahuan Desert dust source locations and establish a baseline for continued research in determining potential locations for future dust outbreaks in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico.

Intriguing aspects of F-region plasma irregularities revealed by the Gadanki radar observations during the SAFAR campaign

Abstract. Intriguing new results of F-region irregularities observed using the Gadanki MST radar during the SAFAR campaigns, which were conducted during the equinox and summer of 2008 that corresponds to low solar activity condition, are presented. The summer observations are first of its kind from Gadanki. Observations revealed remarkably different morphology of the F-region irregularities in summer when compared to that in equinox. In summer, the F-region irregularities were observed as horizontally stratified structures, while in equinox they were observed as plume structures. Further, the irregularities in summer commenced during the post-midnight hours in contrast to their commencement in the post-sunset hours and occurrence extending to post-midnight hours in equinox. In addition, an intriguing observation of the summer time irregularities is that they occurred when the background electron density was remarkably low as characterized by the disappearance of the F layer trace in the ionograms. An interesting event of equinox that was observed for 10 h and extended beyond the sunrise time displayed multiple plume structures having periods similar to those of the E-region velocity variations. These observations are discussed with due focus on the genesis of post-midnight F-region irregularities and their possible linkage to the E-region dynamics.

Laser ablated carbon plume flow dynamics under magnetic field

The dynamics of a conducting laser ablated carbon plume flow in the ablation furnace typical for nanoparticle synthesis is investigated by numerical modeling. The effect of magnetic field on the flow is accounted through the Lorentz body force. The study begins with benchmark calculations of two simple test cases, the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability and Hartmann layer. The evolution of plume is then studied for longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields. It is observed that the transverse magnetic fields have more impact than longitudinal fields on plume evolution for this application. Ionization and heat capacity variation in the plume are accounted through the Saha equation and the Shomate equation, respectively. Multiple plume ejections typical for pulsed laser deposition of thin films are also discussed.

Dynamics of Plumes Generated by Local Injection of Ablated Material

Numerical modeling is employed to study the heat transfer modulation between the thermal protection shield and the gas flow that is caused by ejection of underexpanded pyrolysis gases through the cracks in the thermal protection shield. The simulations are performed for an axisymmetric bluff body flying at Mach 7. The influence of the geometry of the thermal protection shield on the heat transfer pattern is studied for two representative shapes. The results are presented for three different flight altitudes (low, ground level; moderate, 20 km; and high, 30 km). At the low altitude, the plume pressure is lower than the pressure behind the detached front shock wave and the plume propagates slowly along the wall surface. At high and moderate altitudes, the plume path (and, consequently, the convective heat transfer between the thermal protection shield and the plume) depends on the plume interaction with the bow shock wave. The effect of viscosity for the plume injection conditions and freestream Mach number considered is found to be negligible at simulated altitudes. The effect of the initial pressure of pyrolysis gas on the plume dynamics is significant. The presence of the blast wave associated with the underexpanded plume alters the heat transfer and increases mixing. Finally, the enhanced heat transfer caused by the emergence of multiple plumes is investigated.

Image optimization for chemical species tomography with an irregular and sparse beam array

High-speed tomographic imaging of hostile engineering processes using absorption-based measurements presents a number of difficulties. In some cases, these challenges include severe limitations on the number of available measurement paths through the subject and the process of designing the geometrical arrangement of these paths for best imaging performance. This paper considers the case of a chemical species tomography system based on near-IR spectroscopic absorption measurements, intended for application to one cylinder of a multi-cylinder production engine. Some of the results, however, are also applicable to other hard-field tomographic modalities in applications where similar constraints may be encountered. A hitherto unreported design criterion is presented for optimal beam geometry for imaging performance, resulting in an irregular array with only 27 measurement paths through the subject for the engine application. Image reconstruction for this severely limited geometry is considered at length, using both simulated and experimental phantom data. Novel methods are presented for the practical generation of gaseous phantoms for calibration and testing of the system. The propane absorption coefficient at 1700 nm is measured. Quantitative imaging of propane plumes in air is demonstrated, showing good localization of circular plumes with diameter as small as 1/5 of the subject diameter and excellent imaging of multiple plumes.