Some Spectroscopic Measurements of a Supersonic Plasmajet

Abstract

Typical results of spectroscopic data from argon and nitrogen supersonic plasmajets are presented. The purpose of this study was to determine which of these spectroscopic data give suitable information for temperature determination. Spectral-line-intensity and hydrogen-line broadening techniques were used. For the argon jet, the results from line-intensity measurements of ionized and un-ionized atoms generally give reliable information; results from hydrogen-line broadening measurements indicate temperatures from 6% to 20% less than intensity measurements. Spectrographic data are compared with enthalpy measurements. For the nitrogen plasmajet, the N₂⁺ (0,0) band was used to determine a rotational temperature.