Abstract
Characterization of the aerosol environment in the stratosphere is needed to better understand the role of aerosol particles in high-speed boundary layer transition. This paper presents the development and initial testing of a calibration system for optical particle counters that measure aerosol particles in the stratosphere via high-altitude balloon platforms. The calibration system is currently capable of replicating a range of low-pressures corresponding to altitudes between 24 and 37 km, a range of aerosol velocities between 1 and 5 m/s, and generating aerosol particle sizes ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 micrometers. The initial testing consisted of applying the calibration system to evaluate the performance of a modified Alphasense OPC-N3 in the 20 to 3 Torr range (corresponding to altitudes of 24 to 37 km). It was found that detection efficiency appears to be highly dependent on the ambient pressure and there exists a critical pressure below which the OPC-N3 fails to measure the particle size distribution. The results also suggest that the low-pressure environment limits the detection efficiency for larger particles.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | AIAA SciTech Forum 2022 |
| Publisher | American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781624106316 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2022 |
| Event | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2022 - San Diego, United States Duration: Jan 3 2022 → Jan 7 2022 |
Publication series
| Name | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2022 |
|---|
Conference
| Conference | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2022 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | San Diego |
| Period | 1/3/22 → 1/7/22 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) under grant FA9550-18-1-0009. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the AFOSR or the U.S. Government.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc.. All rights reserved.