Status of Magnetic Nozzle and Plasma Detachment Experiment

Chavers, D. G.; Dobson, Chris; Jones, Jonathan E.; Lee, Michael; Martin, Adam; Gregory, J. G.; Cecil, Jim; Bengtson, Roger D.; Breǐzman, B. N.; Arefiev, Alexey; Chang‐Diaz, Franklin; Squire, Jared P.; Glover, T. W.; McCaskill, Greg; Cassibry, Jason; Li, Zhongmin

doi:10.1063/1.2169224

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This allows the flow to reach a steady-state regime during the pulse. The interferometer measurements 9,10 reveal that the plasma density is indeed roughly constant for about 3 ms.…”

Section: Ddex Simulationmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…In this section, we present simulation results for the conditions of the Detachment Demonstration Experiment ͑DDEX͒. 9 The DDEX facility was specifically designed to examine plasma behavior in a magnetic nozzle and directivity of the plasma plume. The incoming plasma is created by a source in a strong guiding magnetic field.…”

Section: Ddex Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We then present more examples of plasma flows, including an initial attempt to model the plasma plume in a recent detachment demonstration experiment at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Marshall Space Flight Center. 9,10 It is appropriate to point out that plasma flow in magnetic nozzles has received considerable attention in the past modeling efforts. This includes significant work associated with theta pinches and magnetoplasmadynamic ͑MPD͒ thrusters.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Magnetic nozzle and plasma detachment model for a steady-state flow

2008

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Plasma propulsion concepts that employ a guiding magnetic field raise the question of how the magnetically controlled plasma can detach from the spacecraft. This paper presents a detachment scenario relevant to high-power thrusters in which the plasma can stretch the magnetic field lines to infinity, similar to the solar wind. In previous work, the corresponding ideal magnetohydrodynamics equations have been solved analytically for a plasma flow in a slowly diverging nozzle. That solution indicates that efficient detachment is feasible if the nozzle is sufficiently long. In order to extend the previous model beyond the idealizations of analytical theory, a Lagrangian code is developed in this work to simulate steady-state kinetic plasma flows and to evaluate nozzle efficiency. The code is benchmarked against the analytical results and then used to examine situations that are not analytically tractable, including plasma behavior in the recent Detachment Demonstration Experiment at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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“…This allows the flow to reach a steady-state regime during the pulse. The interferometer measurements 9,10 reveal that the plasma density is indeed roughly constant for about 3 ms.…”

Section: Ddex Simulationmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Ddex Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Magnetic nozzle and plasma detachment model for a steady-state flow

2008

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“…An experiment is being performed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville AL which has implemented this style of magnetic nozzle 6 . Instruments are being used to characterize the plasma flow along the length of the plasma flow, particularly at the nozzle aperture where the super-Alfvénic transition is expected to occur.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physics of Plasma Detachment in a Magnetic Nozzle

Deline¹,

Chavers

Gilchrist

2006

42nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference &Amp;amp; Exhibit

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“…This is a situation analogous to the solar wind flowing outward from the sun's magnetic field. 11 An experiment has been performed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville AL which has implemented a magnetic nozzle with diverging magnetic field lines 12 . Diagnostics were used to characterize the plasma flow along the length of the plume.…”

Section: Nomenclaturementioning

confidence: 99%