SHEATH NEAR A PLANE ELECTRODE BOUNDING A COLLISIONLESS PLASMA IN A MAGNETIC FIELD
The entire plasma-sheath region is treated by a uniform method for an infinite plane electrode that adjoins a semiinfinite plasma in an electrical field normal to the electrode and a magnetic field parallel to the electrode. The effect of collisions is neglected in calculating the velocity distribution function. Both ions and electrons drift perpendicularly to the electric and magnetic fields, but there is no current to the electrode. A self-consistent potential is calculated, as well as the macroscopic properties of the electron and ion fluids, density, velocity, and pressure tensor components, for a hydrogen plasma in thermal equilibrium. An equilibrium velocity distribution and an isotropic pressure tensor are shown to be established at a distance more than several times the Larmor radius for each species; this minimal distance is reduced for ions in a sheath of large electron surplus. If the plasma density is sufficiently low, the entire transition region is electrically charged, while, near an anode in a plasma of higher density, the charge extends only to several times the Debey distance. In the latter case, there is also an exterior region of charge neutrality and potential disturbance that extends to several times the electron Larmor radius for a large anode potential and to several times the ion Larmor radius for other electrode potentials. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Lewis Research Center, Cleveland
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-002983
- OSTI ID:
- 4138731
- Report Number(s):
- NASA-TN-D-1992; N63-22572
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-64
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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