Features of the radiative heating of low-density air

The disruption of the ionization and chemical equilibrium of low-density air is examined in connection with radiative and gasdynamic phenomena accompanying the entry of large meteoroids into the earth atmosphere. Time variations of the concentrations of relaxing air components and air temperature for various values of absorbed radiative energy are calculated on the basis of the simultaneous solution of equations of chemical kinetics and heat balance. It is shown that, under the equilibrium disruption conditions, thermal waves can be generated whose velocity and direction are determined by the initial concentration gradient of nonequilibrium components and chemical kinetic processes.