A comparison of planar, laser-induced fluorescence, and high-sensitivity interferometry techniques for gas-puff nozzle density measurements.
The distribution of argon gas injected by a 12-cm-diameter triple-shell nozzle was characterized using both planar, laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) and high-sensitivity interferometry. PLIF is used to measure the density distribution at a given time by detecting fluorescence from an acetone tracer added to the gas. Interferometry involves making time-dependent, line-integrated gas density measurements at a series of chordal locations that are then Abel inverted to obtain the gas density distribution. Measurements were made on nominally identical nozzles later used for gas-puff Z-pinch experiments on the Saturn pulsed-power generator. Significant differences in the mass distributions obtained by the two techniques are presented and discussed, along with the strengths and weaknesses of each method.
Jackson
S L
SL
Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
Weber
B V
BV
Mosher
D
D
Phipps
D G
DG
Stephanakis
S J
SJ
Commisso
R J
RJ
Qi
N
N
Failor
B H
BH
Coleman
P L
PL