Journal
PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
Volume 16, Issue 5, Pages -Publisher
AIP Publishing
DOI: 10.1063/1.3131282
Keywords
aerospace propulsion; plasma accelerators
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Interesting discharge phenomena are observed that have to do with the interaction between the magnetized Hall thruster plasma and the neutralizing cathode. The steady-state parameters of a highly ionized thruster discharge are strongly influenced by the electron supply from the cathode. The enhancement of the cathode electron emission above its self-sustained level affects the discharge current and leads to a dramatic reduction in the plasma divergence and a suppression of large amplitude, low frequency discharge current oscillations usually related to an ionization instability. These effects correlate strongly with the reduction in the voltage drop in the region with the fringing magnetic field between the thruster channel and the cathode. The measured changes in the plasma properties suggest that the electron emission affects the electron cross-field transport in the thruster discharge. These trends are generalized for Hall thrusters of various configurations.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available