This study investigates the differences in plume-surface interaction (PSI) cratering behavior between Earth atmospheric (101,325 Pa) and subatmospheric (33 Pa) ambient pressures. A stereo-photogrammetry technique was used to nonintrusively obtain 3D, time-resolved measurements of the full-domain crater geometry. Tests were conducted inside an optically accessible vacuum chamber where the PSI process was simulated using a sonic jet impinging on a bed of regolith simulant. Crater geometry measurements were taken at nozzle heights of 4.6 to 55.6 nozzle diameters above the simulant surface. Results show that the highly underexpanded plume under subatmospheric conditions resulted in broad and shallow craters compared to craters formed under Earth atmosphere. Some craters under subatmospheric conditions exhibited lobed geometry characterized by azimuthal depth variations. In these same cases, the deepest portion of the crater was located radially away from the center, and particles were observed moving toward the center resulting in fountain-like particle movement. Craters formed under Earth atmospheric conditions had an axisymmetric parabolic geometry with the location of maximum depth at the center. In general, subatmospheric crater growth was slower than Earth atmospheric. However, subatmospheric crater formation at nozzle heights of 9.3D and below was characteristically like Earth atmospheric crater formation at large nozzle heights.

Daniel C. Stubbs

Lokesh Silwal

Vikas N. Bhargav

Brian S. Thurow

Vrishank Raghav

David E. Scarborough

AIAA Journal

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The AIAA Journal is dedicated to advancing aerospace and aeronautical science and technology by disseminating original research papers that reveal new theoretical developments and/or experimental results. Topics include aeroacoustics, aerodynamics, combustion, propulsion fundamentals, fluid mechanics and reactive flows, fundamental aspects of the aerospace environment, hydrodynamics, lasers and related phenomena, plasma, research instruments and facilities, structural mechanics and materials, optimization, as well as thermodynamics and thermochemistry. The journal also seeks papers that review the latest research developments in any of the aforementioned topics in depth.

AIAA Journal 是一本致力于通过传播新的理论发展和实验结果的原创研究论文，促进航天和航空科学技术进步的期刊。其主题涵盖气动声学、空气动力学、燃烧、推进基础、流体力学和反应流、航空航天环境的基本方面、流体动力学、激光及相关现象、等离子体、研究仪器和设施、结构力学与材料、优化，以及热力学和热化学。此外，期刊还欢迎对上述任何主题的最新研究发展进行深入审查的论文。

Category	Quartile
工程技术	3
工程技术, 工程宇航	3

The Effect of Reduced Ambient Pressure on Plume-Surface Interaction Cratering Dynamics

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Category	Quartile
ENGINEERING, AEROSPACE	2