Sy. Menzhinskii et Nn. Pilyugin, DETERMINATION OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL CONSTANTS IN THE WAKE BEHIND A BODY FLYING IN ARGON AT HYPERSONIC VELOCITY, High temperature, 31(5), 1993, pp. 724-731
The solution of linearized equations describing a nonequilibrium axisy
mmetric laminar boundary layer is used to treat the results of measure
ments of electron concentration in the wake behind a moving body. The
following quantities are obtained by using the results of measurements
of integral characteristics associated with the electron concentratio
n in the wake behind a body moving in pure argon at a hypersonic veloc
ity and with an increase in the width of the wake: the ambipolar Schmi
dt number, constants determining the temperature distribution along th
e axis of the wake, the initial diameter of the wake, and the rate of
the Ar2+ + e --> Ar + Ar reaction of dissociative recombination as a f
unction of temperature. The distributions of temperature, electron con
centration, and the width of the wake are calculated on the basis of o
btained constants and solutions, and the results are compared with exp
erimental data. It is shown that agreement between the results of our
calculations and the available empirical data is quite satisfactory.