Electrostatic Manipulation of a Hypersonic Plasma Layer: Images of the Two-Dimensional Sheath

The sheath shape in a cylindrical electrode system is simulated by using a 2-D fluid model. The cylindrical electrode system introduces an electron-depleted region, i.e., a sheath. The generated sheath may suggest a possible approach to the communication blackout problem that occurs for a reentry vehicle, in hypersonic flight or during laser interaction with a target. This approach can work if the electron-depleted sheath region extends over the vehicle surface up to the peak of the plasma density which is typically few centimeters. In addition, for efficient communication, the sheath region should be larger than the physical size of an antenna. To estimate the size of the plasma sheath, the electron number density and the potential distribution near the cylindrically shaped electrodes are presented, and the plasma sheath is indicated.