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.
Skip Nav Destination
,
Article navigation
April 2014
Research Article|
April 18 2014
Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis
D. Escobar;
D. Escobar
a)
1
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
D. Escobar
1,a)
E. Ahedo
2,b)
1
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
, 28040 Madrid, Spain
2
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
, 28911 Leganés, Spain
a)
Ph.D. Candidate, Equipo de Propulsión Espacial y Plasmas. URL: http://aero.uc3m.es/ep2
b)
Professor, Equipo de Propulsión Espacial y Plasmas. Electronic mail: [email protected]
Phys. Plasmas 21, 043505 (2014)
Article history
Received:
January 12 2014
Accepted:
March 28 2014
Citation
D. Escobar, E. Ahedo; Low frequency azimuthal stability of the ionization region of the Hall thruster discharge. I. Local analysis. Phys. Plasmas 1 April 2014; 21 (4): 043505. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4870963
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
Progress toward fusion energy breakeven and gain as measured against the Lawson criterion
Samuel E. Wurzel, Scott C. Hsu
A review of plasma acceleration and detachment mechanisms in propulsive magnetic nozzles
Kunlong Wu, Zhiyuan Chen, et al.
Comparison of laser-produced plasma spatio-temporal electron density evolution measured using interferometry with simulation results
Mathew P. Polek, Tirtha R. Joshi, et al.