Current-driven plasma acceleration versus current-driven energy dissipation. I. Wave stability theory
- Princeton Univ., NJ (USA)
The dominant unstable electrostatic wave modes of an electromagnetically accelerated plasma are investigated. The study is the first part of a three-phase program aimed at characterizing the current-driven turbulent dissipation degrading the efficiency of Lorentz force plasma accelerators such as the MPD thruster. The analysis uses a kinetic theory that includes magnetic and thermal effects as well as those of an electron current transverse to the magnetic field and collisions, thus combining all the features of previous models. Analytical and numerical solutions allow a detailed description of threshold criteria, finite growth behavior, destabilization mechanisms and maximized-growth characteristics of the dominant unstable modes. The lower hybrid current-driven instability is implicated as dominant and was found to preserve its character in the collisional plasma regime. 22 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6496212
- Report Number(s):
- AIAA-Paper-90-2610; CONF-9007174-
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 21. AIAA, OGLR, and JSASS international electric propulsion conference, Orlando, FL (USA), 18-20 Jul 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PLASMA GUNS
ENERGY LOSSES
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
ACCELERATION
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MHD GENERATORS
PLASMA WAVES
THRUSTERS
TURBULENCE
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
LOSSES
MECHANICS
PLASMA
330000* - Advanced Propulsion Systems