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Ann. Geophys., 24, 89-95, 2006
www.ann-geophys.net/24/89/2006/
© European Geosciences Union 2006

Numerical simulation of 3-D flow around sounding rocket in the lower thermosphere

J. Kurihara¹, K.-I. Oyama¹, N. Iwagami², and T. Takahashi^3
1Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-8510, Japan
²Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
³Information Science Laboratory, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan

Abstract. Numerical simulations using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method are known to be useful for analyses of aerodynamic effects on in-situ rocket measurements in the lower thermosphere, but the DSMC analysis of a spin modulation caused by an asymmetric flow around the rocket spin axis has been restricted to the two-dimensional and axially symmetric simulations in actual sounding rocket experiments. This study provides a quantitative analysis of the spin modulation using a three-dimensional (3-D) simulation of the asymmetric flow with the DSMC method. Clear spin modulations in the lower thermospheric N₂ density measurement by a rocket-borne instrument are simulated using the rocket attitude and velocity, the simplified payload structure, and the approximated atmospheric conditions. Comparison between the observed and simulated spin modulations show a very good agreement within 5% at around 100km. The results of the simulation are used to correct the spin modulations and derive the absolute densities in the background atmosphere.

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Citation: Kurihara, J., Oyama, K.-I., Iwagami, N., and Takahashi, T.: Numerical simulation of 3-D flow around sounding rocket in the lower thermosphere, Ann. Geophys., 24, 89-95, 2006.   Bibtex   EndNote   Reference Manager