The present contribution examines the impact of plasma dynamics and plasma-driven fluid dynamics on the flame growth of laser ignited mixtures and shows that a new dual-pulse scheme can be used to control the kernel formation process in ways that extend the lean ignition limit. We perform a comparative study between (conventional) single-pulse laser ignition (λ = 1064 nm) and a novel dual-pulse method based on combining an ultraviolet (UV) pre-ionization pulse (λ = 266 nm) with an overlapped near-infrared (NIR) energy addition pulse (λ = 1064 nm). We employ OH* chemiluminescence to visualize the evolution of the early flame kernel. For single-pulse laser ignition at lean conditions, the flame kernel separates through third lobe detachment, corresponding to high strain rates that extinguish the flame. In this work, we investigate the capabilities of the dual-pulse to control the plasma-driven fluid dynamics by adjusting the axial offset of the two focal points. In particular, we find there exists a beam waist offset whereby the resulting vorticity suppresses formation of the third lobe, consequently reducing flame stretch. With this approach, we demonstrate that the dual-pulse method enables reduced flame speeds (at early times), an extended lean limit, increased combustion efficiency, and decreased laser energy requirements.

The present contribution compares the energy absorption, optical emission, temperature, and fluid dynamics of ultraviolet (UV) λ = 266 nm and near infrared (NIR) λ = 1064 nm nanosecond laser induced plasmas in ambient air. For UV pulses at the conditions studied, energy absorption by the plasmas increases relatively gradually with laser pulse energy starting at delivered energy of E ∼ 8 mJ. Corresponding measurements of plasma luminosity show that the absorption of UV radiation does not necessarily result in visible plasma emission. For the NIR induced plasmas, the energy absorption profile is far more abrupt and begins at ∼55 mJ. In contrast with UV, the absorption of NIR radiation is always accompanied by intense optical emission. The temperatures of both types of plasma have been measured with Rayleigh scattering thermometry (at times after the Thomson signal sufficiently diminishes). The UV plasmas can attain a wider range of temperatures, including lower temperatures, depending on the pulse energy (e.g., T ∼ 400–2000 K for E ∼ 7–35 mJ at Δt = 10 μs after the pulse) while the NIR plasmas show only hotter temperatures (e.g., T ∼ 12 000 K for E = 75 mJ at Δt = 10 μs after the pulse) as is consistent with the literature. Differences in the fluid dynamics for UV versus NIR pulses are shown with Schlieren imaging. The contrast in the UV and NIR plasma threshold behavior is attributed to differing roles of avalanche ionization and multiphoton ionization as is also illustrated by a simple numerical model.

A novel cavity-enhanced laser diagnostic has been developed to perform point measurements of spontaneous rotational Raman scattering. A narrow linewidth fiber laser source (1064 nm) is frequency locked to a high-finesse cavity containing the sample gas. Intracavity powers of 22 W are generated from 3.7 mW of incident laser power, corresponding to a buildup factor of 5900. A triple monochromator and a photomultiplier tube in counting mode are used to disperse and measure the scattering spectra. The system is demonstrated with rotational Raman spectra of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide at atmospheric pressure. The approach will allow temporally and spatially resolved Raman measurements for combustion diagnostics and, by extending to higher power, Thomson scattering for diagnostics of low-density plasmas.

Knowledge of optical effects accompanying hypersonic flight conditions is of critical importance to ensure reliable operation of on-board optical instrumentation. This paper presents results of calculations of scalar polarizability dependence on vibrational nonequilibrium in molecular nitrogen and oxygen. The non-equilibrium effects are evaluated on the basis of a semi-classical model for the molecular polarizability. It is shown that, depending on the vibrational and translational populations, changes in the scalar polarizability in excess of normal density and temperature scaling can be around 1%-5% at moderate gas temperatures and around 10% at high temperatures. The model was applied to predict the polarizability for non-equilibrium states in a nitrogen plasma formed by a single nanosecond pulse with different rise times.

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