Numerical Analysis of Magnetic Sail Spacecraft
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan)
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Yoshinodai, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-8510 (Japan)
To capture the kinetic energy of the solar wind by creating a large magnetosphere around the spacecraft, magneto-plasma sail injects a plasma jet into a strong magnetic field produced by an electromagnet onboard the spacecraft. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of the IMF (interplanetary magnetic field) on the magnetosphere of magneto-plasma sail. First, using an axi-symmetric two-dimensional MHD code, we numerically confirm the magnetic field inflation, and the formation of a magnetosphere by the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetic field. The expansion of an artificial magnetosphere by the plasma injection is then simulated, and we show that the magnetosphere is formed by the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetic field expanded by the plasma jet from the spacecraft. This simulation indicates the size of the artificial magnetosphere becomes smaller when applying the IMF.
- OSTI ID:
- 21254962
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1084, Issue 1; Conference: 26. international symposium on rarified gas dynamics, Kyoto (Japan), 20-25 Jul 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3076582; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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