Three-Dimensional Particle Simulations of Ion Propulsion Plasma Environment for Deep Space 1

Wang, J.; Brinza, D. E.; Young, Marcus

doi:10.2514/2.3702

Cited by 78 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…A review of the results can be found in [10]. A recent studied especially addressed the issue of the possible effect of a charged spacecraft on the backflow [11]. Their results indicate that the expansion of the plasma is such that when leaving the plume and getting closer to the spacecraft the plasma velocity progressively become parallel to the thrust direction.…”

Section: B Solar Panel "Wake" In the Backflowmentioning

confidence: 95%

A Simple Model of the Effect of Solar Array Orientation on SMART-1 Floating Potential

Hilgers

Thiébault

Estublier

et al. 2006

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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Results from SMART-1 plasma measurements indicate that the spacecraft is, in general, floating 10 to 30 V negative with respect to the ambient plasma and that the floating potential varies with the orientation of the solar array with respect to the direction of the thrust. It is shown in this paper that a wake created behind the solar panel by the plasma generated in the plume by charge exchange and expanding toward the spacecraft may explain such a potential variation.Index Terms-Space vehicle power system, space vehicle propulsion.

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Section: B Solar Panel "Wake" In the Backflowmentioning

confidence: 95%

A Simple Model of the Effect of Solar Array Orientation on SMART-1 Floating Potential

Hilgers

Thiébault

Estublier

et al. 2006

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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“…This approach, combined with a further assumption that the electrons are isothermal, leads to the commonly used Boltzmann relation between the electron density n e and the potential where n 0 and 0 are the plasma density and potential at the reference state, respectively. Equation (1) has been used in almost all electric propulsion plume, spacecraft-plasma interactions, and spacecraft charging models so far. For example, hybrid particle-in-cell (PIC) models of plasma thruster plume have been developed using (1) with a constant T e (see [1]- [7], and references therein) or with T e as a function of position [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electron Properties in Collisionless Mesothermal Plasma Expansion: Fully Kinetic Simulations

Wang

2015

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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This paper presents a fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulation of collisionless mesothermal plasma expansion with a focus on the macroscopic electron properties. The results show that the electron thermal properties are anisotropic and nonuniform. In the beam core region, the electrons are thermalized due to interactions between the trapped electrons and the potential well between the beam exit and the beam front. The electron expansion inside the beam is equilibrium and significant cooling occurs associated with the expansion. Immediately out of the beam boundary, the electrons undergo an isothermal expansion. In the outer expansion region, the electrons transition into a nonequilibrium expansion and again exhibit significant cooling. We find that the commonly used assumption of Boltzmann electron simplification is not valid for modeling electrons in mesothermal plasma expansion. An analysis of the electron temperature and density correlation along each individual ion streamlines suggests that simplified models for electron dynamics may be constructed using multiple polytropic laws in different plume regions.Index Terms-Boltzmann relation, collisionless plasma expansion, electron kinetics, particle-in-cell (PIC).

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“…Therefore, it is of importance to study the potential structure around the sail for its payload design, such as the locations of scientific instruments and solar arrays. Garrett and Minow had provided an overview on the charging issue of solar sails 3) by using NASCAP-2K 4) , a spacecraft charging analysis program, and a Particle-In-Cell 5) (PIC) code 6) for a solar sail in the solar wind and in the ionosphere. We tried a further investigation of the interactions between charged particles and a solar sail by using a three-dimensional electrostatic full-PIC code we had been developed 7) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Analysis of Potential Structure around Solar Sail in Solar Wind Plasma

Muranaka¹,

Hosoda²,

Shinohara

2012

AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY JAPAN

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We had numerically analyzed the charged particle profiles and the potential structure around a solar sail at 1.0 AU. The quantitative estimation of these issues can be of importance for the payload design of a solar sail such as the location of onboard scientific instruments and solar arrays. In addition, estimation of the electrostatic force on the IKAROS spacecraft was made to determine whether the force was significant for the deformation of the membrane. A 3-D electrostatic, full-Particle-In-Cell code was used to study precise charged particle behaviours around a solar sail, and MUSCAT, a spacecraft charging analysis tool, was additionally used to obtain differential voltage of the sail. The numerical results showed that a wake potential was formed due to a large ion wake in the downstream of a sail obstructed the diffusion of the photoelectrons to the downstream surface. The size of the photoelectron cloud around a sail was estimated to be 17.5 m in the upstream hemisphere at 1.0 AU. The floating potential of the sail was +8.3 V, where double Maxwellian photoelectron spectrum model was adopted in the computation. The reduction of the electron sheath due to the photoelectron cloud was recognized. The differential voltage on the insulator surface of the sail of -15.8 V was obtained by the MUSCAT computation, that showed the charging of a solar sail itself was not serious in this environment but would affect the photoelectron diffusion and the wake potential. The electrostatic force at the numerical grid on the membrane assuming the IKAROS spacecraft was estimated under the observed real plasma environment. The magnitude of the force was of 10 -8 N at the edge of the insulator that could not be negligible to a small-scale deformation on the membrane during the flight.

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Three-Dimensional Particle Simulations of Ion Propulsion Plasma Environment for Deep Space 1

Cited by 78 publications

References 14 publications

A Simple Model of the Effect of Solar Array Orientation on SMART-1 Floating Potential

A Simple Model of the Effect of Solar Array Orientation on SMART-1 Floating Potential

Electron Properties in Collisionless Mesothermal Plasma Expansion: Fully Kinetic Simulations

Numerical Analysis of Potential Structure around Solar Sail in Solar Wind Plasma

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