Numerical Study of Plasma Characteristics Under Magnetohydrodynamic Flow Control in Mars Entry

Abstract

Magnetohydrodynamic flow control is an active thermal protection method for atmospheric entry vehicles. This study examined the plasma characteristics under magnetohydrodynamic flow control and its thermal protection ability at multiple altitudes (20–60 km) on a typical direct Mars entry path using numerical simulation considering the Hall effect. The simulation considered a spherical-conical capsule with an entry velocity of [Formula: see text] at an altitude of 60 km, equipped with a dipole magnet generating a magnetic field of approximately 0.3 T at the stagnation point of the capsule. The results showed that magnetohydrodynamic flow control can mitigate convective aerodynamic heating at high altitudes (45 km or more), where the high electrical conductivity of the plasma creates strong magnetohydrodynamic interaction. In contrast, at low altitudes (35 km or less), magnetohydrodynamic flow control is ineffective owing to low electrical conductivity. The high electrical conductivity at high altitudes is attributed not only to large flight velocities under low atmospheric pressures but also to the enlargement of the shock layer owing to the strong magnetohydrodynamic interaction, which expands the ionization progression area. Furthermore, the results indicated that considering the Hall effect in the numerical modeling of magnetohydrodynamic flow control in Mars direct entry is essential.