Effects of plasma expansion plumes in view of pulses laser irradiating centimeter-scale spherical space debris

The objective of this article was to investigate the dynamic evolution behaviors of plasma expansion plumes by pulses laser irradiating centimeter-scale spherical space debris. A calculated model of centimeter-scale spherical space debris irradiated by pulses laser was firstly deduced based on FEM (finite element method)/COMSOL, and the action rules of plasma expansion plumes by pulses laser-generated irradiating the debris were simulated for different laser powers and action times. The results showed that the velocity of plasma expansion plumes was increased with the increase of laser powers and action times. Especially, when the laser power was 700 kW and the action time was close to 25 μs, the maximum velocity of plasma expansion plumes approached 1.91 km/s, and the diffusion radius of plasma expansion plumes was increased by about 2.5 mm. Further, the diffusion radius was about twice that of 400 kW when the action time reached about 48 μs. As a result, by simulating the transient flow process of nanosecond pulses laser irradiating small spherical space debris, the flow field evolution information and plasma plumes evolution characteristics of centimeter-scale space debris at nanosecond time resolution were revealed.