Affiliations: Experimental Physics Group, Aerospace Projects
Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA. | Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University,
Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Abstract: Three-component Particle Image Velocimetry has been applied to the
measurement of hypervelocity ejecta from meteoritic impact experiments. This
work represents the first attempt at measuring ejecta from a ballistic event
using the PIV technique. The ejecta particles are measured directly, within a
plane, at any controlled instant after the impact. The particle trajectories
are observed at all azimuthal positions relative to the impact point thus
revealing both the shape of the curtain and the distribution of velocities at a
given instance. By seeding the target with 10 µm hollow spheres, the
fluid flow associated with the impact in an atmosphere is simultaneously
observed with the ejecta. 3C PIV is demonstrated to be an ideally suited
technique for investigations on ejecta trajectories, ejecta curtain morphology
and the fluid mechanics in the presence of an atmosphere. Sample results are
presented.