Wind measurements: Trimethyl aluminum (TMA) chemical release technique
Wind measurements: Trimethyl aluminum (TMA) chemical release technique
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风测量：三甲基铝 (TMA) 化学释放技术
DOI：
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发表时间：
2013
期刊：
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通讯作者：
M. Larsen
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
M. Larsen
化学释放技术从最早的探空火箭在高层大气中测量以来就一直在使用。测量不需要遥测或其他复杂的电子设备，机械系统相对简单，非常坚固。因此，当更复杂的测量技术难以实现时，早期就使用了该技术。然而，即使火箭的有效载荷变得更加复杂，化学释放技术仍然很重要。特别是，示踪测量仍然是获得上层中间层和热层中性风测量的主要技术之一。各种金属蒸汽示踪剂已被用于高层大气中的风测量，但使用最广泛的示踪剂是三甲基铝（TMA），自20世纪60年代以来，它已被用于数百次火箭发射。TMA的优点包括示踪剂产生的化学发光，这使得在夜间任何时间进行风测量成为可能，而且示踪剂是液体，这使得更准确地控制释放的时间和持续时间成为可能。介绍了TMA风测量技术的概况，包括TMA释放硬件的设计和最新的TMA测量结果。
Chemical release techniques have been used since the earliest days of sounding rocket measurements in the upper atmosphere. The measurements require no telemetry or other complicated electronics and the mechanical systems are relatively simple and very robust. The technique was therefore used early on when more complicated measurement techniques were difficult to implement. Chemical release techniques have remained important, however, even as rocket payloads have become more complex. In particular, the tracer measurements remain important as one of the primary techniques for obtaining neutral wind measurements in the upper mesosphere and thermosphere. Various metal vapor tracers have been used for wind measurements in the upper atmosphere, but the most widely used tracer has become trimethyl aluminum (TMA), which has been used in hundreds of rocket launches since the 1960’s. The advantages of TMA include the chemiluminescence produced by the tracer, which makes wind measurements possible at any time during the night, and the fact that the tracer is a liquid, which makes it possible to control both the timing and duration of the release more accurately. An overview of the TMA wind measurement technique is presented, including the design of TMA release hardware and recent results from TMA measurements.