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Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 173 p. : ill. (some col). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains v, 218 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Université Paul Sabatier, 2007. / Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a joint Ph. D. from the University of Texas at Austin and the Université Paul Sabatier. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

A spectroscopic diagnostic tool has been developed to determine the electron temperature and the neutral density in helium, hydrogen and argon plasmas from absolutely calibrated spectroscopic measurements. For each gas, a method of analysis which uses models specific to each species present in the plasma (neutral atom or singly ionized atom) has been defined. The experimental electron density is used as an input parameter to the models, and the absolutely calibrated spectroscopic data are processed beforehand to obtain the populations of the upper excited levels corresponding to the observed spectral lines. For helium plasmas, the electron temperature is inferred from the experimental helium ion excited level p = 4 population using a corona model, and then the neutral density is determined from the experimental helium neutral excited level populations using a collisional-radiative model for helium neutrals. For hydrogen plasmas, combinations of the electron temperature and the neutral density are determined from the experimental hydrogen neutral excited level populations using a collisional-radiative model specific to hydrogen atoms. For argon plasmas, the electron temperature is inferred from the experimental argon ion excited level populations using a collisional-radiative model for argon ions, and then the neutral density is determined from the experimental argon neutral excited level populations using a collisional-radiative model for argon neutrals. This diagnostic tool was applied to three experiments with different geometries and plasma conditions to test the validity of each data analysis method. The helium and hydrogen data analysis methods were tested and validated on helium and hydrogen plasmas produced in the VASIMR experiment, a plasma propulsion system concept. They gave electron temperatures and neutral densities that were consistent with other diagnostics and theory. The argon diagnostic tool was tested on argon plasmas produced in the VASIMR experiment, the Helimak experiment and the Helicon experiment. The electron temperature and neutral density obtained on both the Helimak and the Helicon experiments were consistent with other diagnostics and with theory, and validated the method of analysis. An impurity problem on the VASIMR experiment made it difficult for the data analysis to be validated.

Le présent mémoire de maîtrise est consacré à une étude spectroscopique de la température du gaz dans les plasmas hors équilibre thermodynamique d’argon à la pression atmosphérique. Nous avons notamment pu extraire, à l’aide de mesures par spectroscopie optique d’émission de structures rotationnelles des systèmes OH (A2Σ+- X2Πi) et N2+ (B2Σu+- X2Σg+), la température rotationnelle d’un plasma radiofréquence en régime capacitif et d’un plasma micro-onde produit par une onde électromagnétique de surface. En comparant ces mesures à celles obtenues par l’analyse de l’élargissement des raies 2p2-1s2 et 2p3-1s2 de l’argon avec un spectromètre à très haute résolution spectrale, nous avons pu démontrer que l’équilibre rotation-translation (Trot=Tg) n’est jamais atteint dans les configurations de plasmas étudiées. Cet écart entre les deux températures est attribué à l’influence des électrons, en compétition avec les atomes neutres, imposant leurs propres températures sur la distribution des niveaux rotationnels. De plus, l’effet du flux de gaz et de l’ajout de CO2 sur le chauffage du gaz a été étudié dans un plasma micro-onde d’argon à la pression atmosphérique. Nous avons noté des changements importants dans les profils axiaux de Tg en amont et en aval de l’excitateur à onde de surface selon les conditions opératoires. Pour séparer les facteurs gouvernant le chauffage du gaz à ceux associés au dépôt de puissance par l’onde électromagnétique, nous avons normalisé nos valeurs de Tg aux intensités des émissions de l’argon liées aux transitions 2p-1s entre 700 et 900 nm. Pour des temps de résidence dans le plasma d’argon suffisamment longs (et donc de faibles débits de gaz), les valeurs de Tg normalisées montrent un comportement assez constant, ce qui indique que le chauffage s’effectue principalement de manière locale. Au contraire, pour des temps plus longs (et donc des débits de gaz plus importants), les valeurs de Tg normalisées augmentent le long de la colonne à plasma, ce qui révèle que les phénomènes de transport commencent à jouer un rôle important. On note aussi un changement de comportement à plus hauts débits de gaz dû au passage d’un régime d’écoulement laminaire à un régime turbulent. En présence de CO2, dû aux mécanismes de chauffage additionnels, les valeurs de Tg normalisées sont systématiquement plus élevées. / The present master thesis is devoted to a spectroscopic study of the gas temperature in non-thermodynamic equilibrium argon plasmas at atmospheric pressure. In particular, we were able to extract, by means of optical emission spectroscopy measurements of rotational structures of the systems OH (A2Σ+- X2Πi) and N2+ (B2Σu+- X2Σg+), the rotational temperature of a radiofrequency plasma in capacitive mode and of a microwave plasma produced by an electromagnetic surface wave. By comparing these measurements with those obtained by the analysis of line broadening from 2p2-1s2 et 2p3-1s2 of argon with an ultrahigh spectral resolution spectrometer, we were able to demonstrate that the rotational-translational equilibrium (Trot=Tg) is never achieved in the plasma configurations studied. The departure from both temperatures is ascribed to the influence of electrons competing with neutrals to impose their own temperature on the distribution of rotational levels. In addition, the effect of gas flow and addition of CO2 admixtures on the gas heating has been studied in a microwave argon plasma at atmospheric pressure. We noted significant changes in the axial profiles of Tg on the upstream and downstream plasma column according to operating conditions. To separate the factors governing the heating of gas from those associated with the deposition of power by the electromagnetic wave, we have normalized our Tg values to the intensities of the argon emissions linked to the transitions 2p-1s between 700 and 900 nm. For long enough gas residence times in the argon plasma (and therefore low gas flow rates), normalized Tg values show a fairly constant behaviour, which indicates that the heating takes place mainly locally. On the contrary, for longer times (and therefore higher gas flow rates), normalized Tg values increases along the plasma column, which reveals that transport phenomena are starting to play an important role. There is also a change in behaviour at higher gas flow rates due to the change from a laminar flow regime to a turbulent regime. In the presence of CO2 admixtures, due to additional heating mechanisms, normalized Tg values are consistently higher.