Computation of two-dimensional electric field from the ion laser induced fluorescence measurements

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3481772· OSTI ID:21432298

Spektor, Rostislav ^[1]

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1. Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 92957-M2-341, Los Angeles, California 90009-2957 (United States)

This paper presents a method of computing two-dimensional electric field from ion laser induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements in a plasma flow. The expression for the field is derived by taking velocity moments of the Boltzmann equation for ions. It was found that the pressure tensor, related to the width of the ion velocity distribution, plays a critical role in the computation of the electric field. Even with the assumption of cold ion flow, the pressure tensor contribution may be significant when velocity spread is caused by other forces. Such a situation occurs in the flow of a Hall thruster, where velocity spread is caused by the ions born at different potentials. LIF measurements of the cylindrical hall thruster plume were used to demonstrate practical application of the derived method. Whenever the pressure tensor components are small as compared to the mean ion drift velocity, the electric field calculations reduce to a simple expression given in terms of mean ion drift velocity and its divergence.

• OSTI ID: 21432298
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 17, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3481772; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BOLTZMANN EQUATION
CALCULATION METHODS
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FLUORESCENCE
ION DRIFT
IONS
LASERS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VELOCITY
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EMISSION
EQUATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
KINETIC EQUATIONS
LUMINESCENCE
MECHANICS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PHOTON EMISSION
RADIATION TRANSPORT