skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis

Abstract

Results based on a local linear stability analysis of the Hall thruster discharge are presented. A one-dimensional azimuthal framework is used including three species: neutrals, singly charged ions, and electrons. A simplified linear model is developed with the aim of deriving analytical expressions to characterize the stability of the ionization region. The results from the local analysis presented here indicate the existence of an instability that gives rise to an azimuthal oscillation in the +E × B direction with a long wavelength. According to the model, the instability seems to appear only in regions where the ionization and the electric field make it possible to have positive gradients of plasma density and ion velocity at the same time. A more complex model is also solved numerically to validate the analytical results. Additionally, parametric variations are carried out with respect to the main parameters of the model to identify the trends of the instability. As the temperature increases and the neutral-to-plasma density ratio decreases, the growth rate of the instability decreases down to a limit where azimuthal perturbations are no longer unstable.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22252969
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 21; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ELECTRIC FIELDS; ELECTRONS; IONS; PERTURBATION THEORY; PLASMA DENSITY; PLASMA INSTABILITY; STABILITY; THRUSTERS

Citation Formats

Escobar, D., and Ahedo, E., E-mail: eduardo.ahedo@uc3m.es. Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4870963.
Escobar, D., & Ahedo, E., E-mail: eduardo.ahedo@uc3m.es. Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4870963
Escobar, D., and Ahedo, E., E-mail: eduardo.ahedo@uc3m.es. 2014. "Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4870963.
@article{osti_22252969,
title = {Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis},
author = {Escobar, D. and Ahedo, E., E-mail: eduardo.ahedo@uc3m.es},
abstractNote = {Results based on a local linear stability analysis of the Hall thruster discharge are presented. A one-dimensional azimuthal framework is used including three species: neutrals, singly charged ions, and electrons. A simplified linear model is developed with the aim of deriving analytical expressions to characterize the stability of the ionization region. The results from the local analysis presented here indicate the existence of an instability that gives rise to an azimuthal oscillation in the +E × B direction with a long wavelength. According to the model, the instability seems to appear only in regions where the ionization and the electric field make it possible to have positive gradients of plasma density and ion velocity at the same time. A more complex model is also solved numerically to validate the analytical results. Additionally, parametric variations are carried out with respect to the main parameters of the model to identify the trends of the instability. As the temperature increases and the neutral-to-plasma density ratio decreases, the growth rate of the instability decreases down to a limit where azimuthal perturbations are no longer unstable.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4870963},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22252969}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 4,
volume = 21,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Tue Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}