Title :
Spontaneous oscillations in a Hall thruster
Author :
Darnon, F. ; Garrigues, L. ; Boeuf, J.P. ; Bouchoule, A. ; Lyszyk, M.
Author_Institution :
GREMI, Orleans Univ., France
fDate :
2/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Low frequency oscillations in a stationary plasma thruster (SPT) have been studied using optical diagnostics and numerical models. The regime of low frequency, large amplitude current oscillations has been especially investigated. The current oscillations are associated with strong oscillations of the light emitted by the plasma in that region. A quasi-neutral hybrid model of the plasma can reproduce these plasma oscillations and suggests that they are due to an ionization instability in the exhaust region associated with the depletion of neutral atoms by electron impact ionization
Keywords :
Hall effect devices; current fluctuations; plasma diagnostics; plasma instability; plasma oscillations; Hall thruster; current oscillations; depletion; electron impact ionization; exhaust region; frequency large amplitude current oscillations; ionization instability; low frequency oscillations; neutral atoms; numerical models; optical diagnostics; plasma emission; plasma oscillations; quasi-neutral hybrid model; quasineutral hybrid model; spontaneous oscillations; stationary plasma thruster; Anodes; Conductivity; Electrons; Frequency; Ionization; Magnetic field measurement; Magnetic fields; Plasma devices; Plasma diagnostics; Satellites;
Journal_Title :
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on
