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Title: Wall current closure effects on plasma and sheath fluctuations in Hall thrusters

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4885093· OSTI ID:22299962
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Saskatchewan, 116 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2 (Canada)
  2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

The excitation of negative energy, ion sound type modes driven by the E × B drift and the reactive/dissipative response of the wall sheath interface is analyzed for conditions typical in a Hall thruster. Such sheath impedance modes are sensitive to the dielectric properties of the thruster wall material, which therefore may have direct influence (other than via the secondary electron emission) on fluctuations and transport. Our results predict mode frequencies consistent with the frequencies of fluctuations observed experimentally.

OSTI ID:
22299962
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English