Calculation of radiation from argon shock layers

The accuracy of calculations of the radiation emissions from argon plasmas produced by the shock layers over blunt bodies is assessed. The existing theoretical and experimental spectroscopic data on argon are collated. A set of such data is selected for use in the radiative transfer calculations. Calculations are performed for the stagnation regions of the shock layers over laboratory-sized models using these data, and the results are compared with the existing experimental results obtained in a shock-tube. Through this comparison and a parametric study it is shown that radiative heat fluxes at the stagnation point in an argon environment can be calculated within an uncertainty of about 15%. It is shown also that radiative heat fluxes of the order of 100 kW/sq cm can be produced in the existing laboratory facilities.