Impact of low-frequency oscillations on ion energy in a high-power magnetically shielded Hall thruster

被引：6

作者：

Roberts, Parker J. ^{[1
]}

Chaplin, Vernon H. ^{[1
]}

Ortega, Alejandro Lopez ^{[1
]}

Mikellides, Ioannis G. ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] CALTECH, Jet Prop Lab, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA

来源：

JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS | 2022年 / 131卷 / 03期

基金：

美国国家航空航天局;

关键词：

Plasma oscillations below 100 kHz in a high-power; magnetically shielded Hall-effect thruster are characterized experimentally. A time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic was used to measure the evolution of the axial ion velocity distribution along the discharge channel centerline. A method was developed to correct for artificial broadening of the distribution due to finite spatial resolution; enabling accurate ion temperature measurements in the acceleration region. Time-dependent ion heating behavior is revealed; which varies with axial location. Electrostatic; collisionless particle-pushing calculations were employed to simulate the effects of a shifting acceleration front on ion motion. It is found that ions exchange energy with these oscillations; which accounts for a portion of the ion velocity fluctuations observed in the thruster plume. Phasing relationships between ion dynamics and discharge current oscillations are discussed in the context of prior Hall thruster experiments. © 2022 Author(s);

D O I：

10.1063/5.0067325

中图分类号：

O59 [应用物理学];

学科分类号：

摘要：

Plasma oscillations below 100kHz in a high-power, magnetically shielded Hall-effect thruster are characterized experimentally. A time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic was used to measure the evolution of the axial ion velocity distribution along the discharge channel centerline. A method was developed to correct for artificial broadening of the distribution due to finite spatial resolution, enabling accurate ion temperature measurements in the acceleration region. Time-dependent ion heating behavior is revealed, which varies with axial location. Electrostatic, collisionless particle-pushing calculations were employed to simulate the effects of a shifting acceleration front on ion motion. It is found that ions exchange energy with these oscillations, which accounts for a portion of the ion velocity fluctuations observed in the thruster plume. Phasing relationships between ion dynamics and discharge current oscillations are discussed in the context of prior Hall thruster experiments.

引用

页数：13