Electronics and Electrical Engineering and Control

Coherence time estimation algorithm and experimental verification for dynamic plasma sheath channel

  • Xiaoping LI ,
  • Min YANG ,
  • Haoyan LIU ,
  • Longjie QIAO ,
  • Chengguang LI ,
  • Qiongjie ZHANG
Expand
  • School of Aerospace Science and Technology,Xidian University,Xi’an 710071,China

Received date: 2024-12-04

  Revised date: 2025-01-06

  Accepted date: 2025-07-22

  Online published: 2025-07-31

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China(62401427)

Abstract

Future cross-domain aircraft will face multiple atmospheric reentry processes. During hypersonic flight through the atmosphere, the vehicle is enveloped by a plasma sheath, and the “radio blackout” caused by this sheath will continue to hinder reliable information transmission. The plasma sheath channel exhibits fast time-varying characteristics, which result in communication symbols experiencing random deep fades, making it challenging for the receiver to track the channel coefficients in real-time. This presents a significant challenge to the reliable transmission of telemetry and control communication systems. To address these issues, this paper investigates the coherence time of the plasma sheath channel’s time-varying characteristics. The paper first analyzes the factors contributing to the dynamic characteristics of the plasma sheath channel and establishes a dynamic plasma sheath channel model. Then, a method for calculating the channel coherence time based on the received signal envelope is designed, followed by simulation analysis and experimental validation. The results show that the channel coherence time is inversely proportional to the plasma excitation frequency and exhibits a trend of decreasing and then increasing as the carrier frequency increases. By adjusting the symbol rate to match the coherence time, an appropriate symbol rate can be set based on the calculated coherence time under an electron density of 1×1018 m-3, resulting in a two-order-of-magnitude improvement in bit error rate performance. The calculation of the plasma sheath channel coherence time can provide valuable references for future communication scheme designs.

Cite this article

Xiaoping LI , Min YANG , Haoyan LIU , Longjie QIAO , Chengguang LI , Qiongjie ZHANG . Coherence time estimation algorithm and experimental verification for dynamic plasma sheath channel[J]. ACTA AERONAUTICAET ASTRONAUTICA SINICA, 2025 , 46(22) : 331613 -331613 . DOI: 10.7527/S1000-6893.2025.331613

References

[1] RYBAK J P, CHURCHILL R J. Progress in reentry communications[J]. IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems1971, AES-7(5): 879-894.
[2] HARTUNIAN R, STEWART G, FERGASON S, et al. Causes and mitigation of radio frequency (RF) blackout during reentry of reusable launch vehicles: ATR-2007(5309)-1[R]. El Segundo: Aerosp. Corporation. 2007.
[3] POTTER D. Introduction of the PIRATE program for parametric reentry vehicle plasma effects studies[C]∥37th AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference. Reston: AIAA, 2006.
[4] 王柏懿. 再入飞行中等离子鞘的电磁效应[J]. 宇航学报1982, (2): 17-21, 67.
  WANG B Y. Electromagnetic effects of plasma sheath during reentry flight[J]. Journal of Astronautics1982, (2): 17-21, 67 (in Chinese).
[5] 王柏懿 .再入等离子体鞘的电波传播特性[J]. 宇航学报1982,4,(2); 81-101.
  WANG B Y. Radio wave propagation characteristics in reentry plasma sheath[J]. Journal of Astronautics1982,4,(2); 81-101 (in Chinese).
[6] GAO Y X, YANG M, XIE K, et al. Parasitic modulation effect caused by dynamic plasma in low frequency[J]. Physics of Plasmas202431(2): 023505.
[7] SUN B, XIE K, SHI L, et al. Experimental investigation on electromagnetic waves transmitting through exhaust plume: From propagation to channel characteristics[J]. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation202068(12): 8021-8032.
[8] KUMAR D S, JAIN S. Ka band approach for mitigating communication blackout[C]∥2021 IEEE 18th India Council International Conference (INDICON). Piscataway: IEEE Press, 2021: 1-4.
[9] ZHAO C, ZHAO D, WANG Y, et al. Design and experiment of a hollow beam electron optics system for Ka-band extended interaction klystrons[J]. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science202250(3): 678-683.
[10] JIN L W. China’s Chang’e-6 lands on moon’s far side to collect samples[EB/OL]. [2024-06-02]. .
[11] NEINAVAIE M, KASSAS Z M. Unveiling starlink LEO satellite OFDM-like signal structure enabling precise positioning[J]. IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems202460(2): 2486-2489.
[12] ZHAN Y F, WAN P, JIANG C X, et al. Challenges and solutions for the satellite tracking, telemetry, and command system[J]. IEEE Wireless Communications202027(6): 12-18.
[13] LINWOOD JONES JR W, CROSS A E. Electrostatic probe measurements of plasma surrounding three 25000 foot per second reentry flight experiments[J]. NASA Special Publication1971252: 109.
[14] YAO B, LI X P, SHI L, et al. A geometric-stochastic integrated channel model for hypersonic vehicle: A physical perspective[J]. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology201968(5): 4328-4341.
[15] YANG M, TANG J C, LIU H Y, et al. A novel demodulation method based on spectral clustering for phase-modulated signals interrupted by the plasma sheath channel[J]. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science202048(10): 3544-3551.
[16] LYU X T, GE N. Symbol detection using discrete prolate spheroidal sequences under the plasma sheath channel[C]∥2018 IEEE 3rd International Conference on Communication and Information Systems (ICCIS). Piscataway: IEEE Press, 2018: 34-38.
[17] ZHANG X, AGUIRRE E, THOMPSON D, et al. Pressure dependence of an ion beam accelerating structure in an expanding Helicon plasma[J]. Physics of Plasmas201825(2): 023503.
[18] ZHANG X, ZANG Q, WANG Y-F, et al. The factors determining the evolution of edge-localized modes in plasmas driven by lower hybrid currents[J]. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion202062(12): 125013.
[19] TIAN D Y, QIAN K. Numerical simulation and analysis of hypersonic vehicle plasma sheath[C]∥47th AIAA Plasma dynamics and Lasers Conference. Reston: AIAA, 2016.
[20] MATTHIAS P. Mobile fading channels[M]. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003.
[21] ZHAO C W, LI X P, LIU Y M, et al. A phase shift group delay-based approach to resolving the phase ambiguity problem in plasma microwave diagnostics[J]. Journal of Applied Physics2022132(21): 213303.
Outlines

/