空间与等离子体化学 at ISR
ISR researchers work closely with the Air Force 电子游戏正规平台 Laboratory supporting the 等离子体化学实验室 and the 空间化学 Laboratory located at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, 新墨西哥. These laboratories conduct investigations into chemistry in the Earth's ionosphere and advance our understanding of how chemical reactions involving charged species impact atmospheric plasmas.
物理学家肖恩G. 阿德(左)和托马斯. Miller (right), and mechanical engineer John S. 威廉姆森(中心).
等离子体化学实验室
The 等离子体化学实验室 at the Air Force 电子游戏正规平台 Laboratory is supported by 电子游戏软件 Institute for Scientific 电子游戏正规平台 researchers.
The laboratory contains four fast-flow chemical reactor apparatuses for studying electron and ion reaction kinetics at a range of thermal energies. The goal is to advance the understanding of fundamental chemical interactions involving charged species. These interactions greatly influence atmospheric plasmas, 比如电离层, which impact RF propagation and hence communications, as well as bond-activations employed in numerous catalytic processes such as satellite propulsion and production of energy dense rocket fuels.
The laboratory features two selected-ion flow-tube (SIFT) apparatuses capable of studying ion-molecule reactions in detail from 100-600 K. The temperature dependence of reaction kinetics in this regime are often sensitive to subtle mechanisms difficult to discern by other experimental methods. Recent work integrating new ion sources has greatly enhanced the number of systems available for study in this manner. Study of metal ion kinetics have offered insights into many catalytic processes, especially those involving fuel production, by trying to dissemble the role of spin conservation or relaxation in the course of a reaction. Addition of a Laser Vaporization (LAVA) cluster ions source has allowed for the study of systems in the “cluster” size regime, 几个到几十个原子, which often display properties significantly different from their bulk or atomic counterparts.
The laboratory also includes two flowing-afterglow Langmuir-probe (FALP) apparatuses, 工作在100- 1800k. These apparatuses enable measurement of reaction kinetics for electron-molecule, 电子离子, and ion-ion processes taking place in plasmas over an extended thermal range. New plasma processes have been discovered in this work, e.g., electron-catalyzed ion-ion mutual neutralization. The extended temperature range is paramount in establishing a predictive understanding of the role these processes play under conditions not currently available in a laboratory setting.
除了, the laboratory benefits significantly from collaboration with university researchers in the U.S. 和欧洲.
Point of contact for this research is 布伦丹肌肉萎缩.
The team recently received the 2019-2021 AFOSR STAR Award as part of the 等离子体化学 Lab at AFRL in a ceremony at Kirtland AFB, NM, 9月. 24, 2019. The award recognizes the team's “Excellence in Basic 电子游戏正规平台 in 等离子体化学 for Air Force Systems”
Pictured at the award ceremony, from left to right: Thomas M. 米勒(BC/ISR)，上校. 埃里克J. Felt (Director of the Space Vehicles Directorate of AFRL), Nicholas S. 舒曼(AFRL)，肖恩·G. Ard (formerly BC/ISR; now AFRL), John S. Williamson (BC/ISR), Brendan C. Sweeny (BC/ISR; formerly NRC postdoc), and Albert A. Viggiano (AFRL). 不在场:David M. McDonald (NRC博士后).
空间化学 Laboratory (AFRL)
The 电子游戏软件 Institute for Scientific 电子游戏正规平台 participates in the 空间化学 Laboratory at the Air Force 电子游戏正规平台 Laboratory's 空间天气 Center of Excellence. We provide scientific expertise and academic resources for basic and applied research in the outer reaches of Earth's atmosphere.
Our work primarily involves using ion beam and mass spectrometry methods to do laboratory-based investigations of the chemistry of ions in Earth’s ionosphere, with particular interest in the interaction of spacecraft with this environment.
Typical experiments involve a radiofrequency octopole guided-ion beam tandem mass spectrometer, in which absolute cross sections can be obtained for ion – molecule reactions as a function of collision energy, in the hyperthermal energy range relevant to low Earth orbit, and in which product recoil energies can be determined using time-of-flight methods.
Our studies of ion – molecule reactions also contribute to the fundamental knowledge base in this area. Among the highlights of our work are the two U.S. 我们获得的专利:
#5,767,513/High Temperature Octopole Ion Guide with Coaxially Heated Rods, R.A. 杜丝勒 & D.J. Levandier;
#6,609,363/Iodine Electric Propulsion Thrusters, R.A. 杜丝勒,D.J. Levandier & Y.-H. 赵.
Point of 联系 for this project is 瑞安展位.