A metamaterial-inspired approach to mitigating radio frequency blackout when a plasma forms around a reentry vehicle

Webb, BA; Ziolkowski, RW

A metamaterial-inspired approach to mitigating radio frequency blackout when a plasma forms around a reentry vehicle

Webb, BA Ziolkowski, RW

Permalink

Publisher:: MDPI AG
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Photonics, 2020, 7, (4), pp. 1-22
Issue Date:: 2020-12-01

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (1.69 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Webb, BA
dc.contributor.author	Ziolkowski, RW
dc.date.accessioned	2020-11-19T04:44:46Z
dc.date.available	2020-11-19T04:44:46Z
dc.date.issued	2020-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	Photonics, 2020, 7, (4), pp. 1-22
dc.identifier.issn	2304-6732
dc.identifier.issn	2304-6732
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144162
dc.description.abstract	© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Radio frequency (RF) blackout and attenuation have been observed during atmospheric reentry since the advent of space exploration. The effects range from severe attenuation to complete loss of communications and can last from 90 s to 10 min depending on the vehicle’s trajectory. This paper examines a way of using a metasurface to improve the performance of communications during reentry. The technique is viable at low plasma densities and matches a split-ring resonator (SRR)-based mu-negative (MNG) sheet to the epsilon-negative (ENG) plasma region. Considering the MNG metasurface as a window to the exterior of a reentry vehicle, its matched design yields high transmission of an electromagnetic plane wave through the resulting MNG-ENG metastructure into the region beyond it. A varactor-based SRR design facilitates tuning the MNG layer to ENG layers with different plasma densities. Both simple and Huygens dipole antennas beneath a matched metastructure are then employed to demonstrate the consequent realization of significant signal transmission through it into free space beyond the exterior ENG plasma layer.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	MDPI AG
dc.relation.ispartof	Photonics
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/photonics7040088
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	A metamaterial-inspired approach to mitigating radio frequency blackout when a plasma forms around a reentry vehicle
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	7
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - GBDTC - Global Big Data Technologies
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Electrical and Data Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2020-11-19T04:44:37Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	7
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Radio frequency (RF) blackout and attenuation have been observed during atmospheric reentry since the advent of space exploration. The effects range from severe attenuation to complete loss of communications and can last from 90 s to 10 min depending on the vehicle’s trajectory. This paper examines a way of using a metasurface to improve the performance of communications during reentry. The technique is viable at low plasma densities and matches a split-ring resonator (SRR)-based mu-negative (MNG) sheet to the epsilon-negative (ENG) plasma region. Considering the MNG metasurface as a window to the exterior of a reentry vehicle, its matched design yields high transmission of an electromagnetic plane wave through the resulting MNG-ENG metastructure into the region beyond it. A varactor-based SRR design facilitates tuning the MNG layer to ENG layers with different plasma densities. Both simple and Huygens dipole antennas beneath a matched metastructure are then employed to demonstrate the consequent realization of significant signal transmission through it into free space beyond the exterior ENG plasma layer.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144162