During atmospheric entry and high-speed flight regimes, severe shock heating dissociates and ionizes ambient air, generating a dynamic plasma sheath surrounding the vehicle. The partially-ionized boundary layer has multiple effects: significant radio frequency (RF) signal attenuation and blackout, convective and surface heating, and intense radiative transfer. Accurately characterizing the coupled kinetic, chemical, and radiative mechanisms within these transient, high-temperature flow fields remains a fundamental challenge. There is a strong need for laboratory proxies, high-fidelity models, and ruggedized, in situ diagnostic systems capable of resolving plasma parameters in extreme environments.

This research opportunity focuses on advancing the fundamental physics, computational modeling, and novel diagnostics of plasmas formed during atmospheric entry. Research under this opportunity encompasses three mutually reinforcing thrusts:

Laboratory Proxies and Optical Emission/Absorption Spectroscopy:
Investigating the spatial and temporal evolution of laser-induced effects on surface materials—such as laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) and direct laser impulse (DLI)—as controllable laboratory proxies for the boundary layer. This involves both experimental and computational efforts to extract and apply fundamental material and plasma parameters.

Electromagnetic Wave Propagation During Atmospheric Entry:
Exploring the fundamental interactions between RF and higher frequency radiation with spatially non-uniform, collisional plasmas. This involves model development and experimental efforts to investigate signal attenuation, phase dispersion, and cutoff frequencies as functions of transient plasma density profiles and collision frequencies.

Harsh Environment Instrumentation and Payloads:
Developing novel optical sensing architectures for severe operating environments. Emphasis is placed on leveraging hollow-core optical fibers (HCFs) for compact, low-loss spectroscopic delivery, extreme-environment optical routing, and robust in situ diagnostics.

References

Hollow core fibers; nonequilibrium plasma; computational physics; atmospheric reentry; radio blackout

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens

level

Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.