Kinetic Description of Martian Atmospheric Entry Plasma

Abstract

A kinetic model for Martian atmospheric entry plasma (MAEP) is presented. The model was calculated based on data from Viking, Pathfinder, and the Mars Exploration Rovers Opportunity and Spirit. Calculations of the density, temperature, and electron density across the shock front were made. We employed steady-state and nonsteady-state kinetic models to describe the rate of dissociation of CO 2 in the Martian atmosphere as well as the production of O 2 . Water vapor was included in the models since it represents 0.03% of the surface atmospheric composition. With the addition of small amounts of water vapor, we found a decrease in the dissociation of CO 2 in the Martian air as well as an increase in the production of O 2 . This paper is to report an analysis of MAEP and its interactions with the shock front which forms in the front of the Martian Landers.

Calculation of Photo-Ionisation Cross Sections and Radiative Recombination Rate Coefficients for CO and CO+Molecules

“…The rate coefficients obtained in this study were also fitted in a polynomial form (valid in the temperature interval 500-15000 K): 6 . The fitting parameters (a i ) are given in Table 2.…”

“…. + a 6 × θ 6 . The room-temperature photo-ionisation cross sections computed in this work were also confronted with experimental published values in order to validate our own calculations.…”

Effects of Water Vapor Presence in Martian Atmospheric Entry Plasma

“…3. Calculated values of the Mach number for the Viking, Pathfinder, and MER Opportunity Landers [11].…”

Non-uniqueness of the multi-temperature law of mass action. Application to 2T plasma composition calculation by means of a collisional-radiative model

“…CR models are also used for the study of atmospheric entry problems [58][59][60][61][62] for their ability to determine particle number densities inside the non-equilibrium reactive hypersonic plasma flow created by the shock layer in front of the heat shield during the entry of a spacecraft into the upper atmosphere. These kinds of works can be classified according to the composition of the studied planetary atmosphere: the Earth (Ar-O 2 -N 2 ) [63][64][65], Mars (Ar-CO 2 -N 2 ) [65,66] or Titan (CH 4 -N 2 ) [67] for example.…”