Resistive Instabilities in Hall Current Plasma Discharge

[摘要] Plasma perturbations in the acceleration channel of a Hall thruster are found to be unstable in the presence of collisions. Both electrostatic lower-hybrid waves and electromagnetic Alfven waves transverse to the applied electric and magnetic field are found to be unstable due to collisions in the E X B electron flow. These results are obtained assuming a two-fluid hydrodynamic model in slab geometry. The characterisitic frequencies of these modes are consistent with experimental observations in Hall current plasma thrusters.

[发布日期] 2000-11-16 [发布机构] Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory.

[关键词] Acceleration;Magnetic Fields;Electrostatics;Hydrodynamic Model;70 Plasma Physics And Fusion Technology