Near wake of the rarefied plasma flows at mesothermal speeds.
Plasma interaction between negatively charged body and tenuous plasma stream, discussing near wake of rarefied plasma flows at mesothermal speeds
Jew, H.↗
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Correcting for Background in Flowing Plasma Measurements
Movable langmuir probe measures charge-exchange plasma density and flow in vicinity of an ion engine. Angular dependence of probe current is utilized to determine plasma flow direction at probe location. By rotating target, data are shown to be independent of target-sputtered ions.
Carruth, M. R., Jr.↗
Plasma flow around the magnetosphere.
Solar plasma flow around magnetosphere, discussing plasma velocity, density and temperature and magnetic field space and time variations
Alksne, A. Y.↗
Calculation of sheath and wake structure about a pillbox-shaped spacecraft in a flowing plasma
A computer program was used for studies of the disturbed zones around bodies in flowing plasmas, particularly spacecraft and their associated sheaths and wakes. The program solved a coupled Poisson-Vlasov system of nonlinear partial differential integral equations to obtain distributions of electric potential and ion and electron density about a finite length cylinder in a plasma flow at arbitrary ion Mach numbers. The approach was applicable to a larger range of parameters than other available approaches. In sample calculations, bodies up to 100 Debye lengths in radius were treated, that is, larger than any previously treated realistically. Applications were made to in-situ satellite experiments.
Parker, L. W.↗
Plasma Flow During RF Discharges in VASIMR
The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) plasma source consists of a helical antenna, driven at frequencies of 4 to 19 MHz with powers up to 1 kW, in a magnetic field up to 3 kG. Helium is the current test gas, and future experiments with hydrogen are planned. Plasma density and temperature profiles were measured by a reciprocating Langmuir probe, and plasma flow profiles were measured with a reciprocating Mach probe. Both probes were located about 0.5 m downstream from the helical antenna. The plasma source operated in capacitive and inductive modes in addition to a helicon mode. During capacitive and inductive modes, densities were low and plasma flow was < 0.5 Cs. When the plasma operated in a helicon mode, the densities measured downstream from the source were higher [10(exp 12) / cubic cm ] and plasma flow along the magnetic field was of the order Mach 1. Details of the measurements will be shown.
Jacobson, V. T.↗
Models of the interplanetary fields and plasma flow
Models of interplanetary fields and plasma flows
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELD↗
Plasma flows during the ablation stage of an over-massed pulsed-power-driven exploding planar wire array
We characterize the plasma flows generated during the ablation stage of an over-massed exploding planar wire array, fielded on the COBRA pulsed-power facility (1 MA peak current, 250 ns rise time). The planar wire array is designed to provide a driving magnetic field (80–100 T) and current per wire distribution (about 60 kA), similar to that in a 10 MA cylindrical exploding wire array fielded on the Z machine. Over-massing the arrays enables continuous plasma ablation over the duration of the experiment without implosion. The requirement to over-mass on the Z machine necessitates wires with diameters of 75–100μm, which are thicker than wires usually fielded on wire array experiments. To test ablation with thicker wires, we perform a parametric study by varying the initial wire diameter between 33 and 100 μm. The largest wire diameter (100 μm) array exhibits early closure of the cathode-wire gap, while the gap remains open over the duration of the experiment for wire diameters between 33 and 75 μm. Laser plasma interferometry and time-gated extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) imaging are used to probe the plasma flows ablating from the wires. The plasma flows from the wires converge to generate a pinch, which appears as a fast-moving (V≈100kms−1) column of increased plasma density (n¯e≈2×1018cm−3) and strong XUV emission. Finally, we compare the results with three-dimensional resistive-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations performed using the code GORGON, the results of which reproduce the dynamics of the experiment reasonably well.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
A mechanism to produce a dawn-dusk component of plasma flow during magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail
Magnetic reconnection between antiparallel field lines in the magnetotail is generally thought to produce plasma acceleration in the earthward-tailward direction. However, measurements of the plasma velocity in the magnetotail during substorm activity sometimes reveal a dawn-dusk component of plasma flow. In this paper, we show that a dawn-dusk component of plasma acceleration may be produced during reconnection if the neutral line is not perpendicular to the magnetic field. In this case, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations show that reconnection between antiparallel field lines will initially produce plasma acceleration that is nearly parallel to the neutral line because the magnetic tension force is not opposed by a pressure gradient force in this direction. As the magnetic field topology evolves to a steady state, the plasma flow direction rotates until it is nearly parallel to the plane that initially contained the antiparallel magnetic field lines before reconnection (hereafter referred to as the initial field plane). However, the time required to reach a steady state (typically several hundred seconds in the magnetotail region) may be greater than the time during which the reconnection process is active. Consequently, bursts of plasma flow with a dawn-dusk component may occur in the magnetotail. The initial acceleration along the neutral line depends on the angle theta (sub B) between the neutral line and the initial field plane, with the largest burst of plasma flow along the neutral line occuring when theta (s ub B) = 45 degs.
Hawkins, J. G.↗
Direct entry of dense flowing plasmas into the distant tail lobes
Electric field, magnetic field, and spacecraft potential measurements on the Geotail satellite have confirmed earlier observations of relatively dense flowing plasmas in the magnetotail lobes. Within these flowing plasmas, density discontinuities of factors of 2 to 4 were observed. At least 15 of the 18 magnetopause crossings that occurred during a 24-hour interval when the spacecraft was at GSM coordinates near X = -140 R(sub e), Y = 0, and Z = 15 R(sub e), were rotational discontinuities across which the magnetosheath plasma had direct entry into the tail lobes. Within the lobes near the rotational discontinuities, the spacecraft typically crossed a second boundary at which the plasma density decreased from its magnetosheath value by a typical factor of 1.5 to 3 while the magnetic field strength and flow speed increased. Equatorward of this density discontinuity, the plasma density and flow remained appreciable. At least 2 of the 18 magnetopause crossings may have been tangential discontinuities across which the density and magnetic field strength both changed. Within the lobes near these tangential discontinuities, significant densities of flowing plasma were observed. Since 11 of the 18 discontinuities were crossed within a time interval of less than 7 seconds, the bondary current layer was well-defined and very thin.
Mozer, F. S.↗
Effects of ion trapping and fluctuations of electron temperature and plasma flow on cross-beam energy transfer
The influences of ion trapping and fluctuations of electron temperature and plasma flow on cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) are examined using two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations in parameter regimes relevant to recent CBET experiments at the OMEGA laser facility. In mid-Z plasma irradiated by an intense pump beam and weaker probe beam, ion trapping, collisional de-trapping, and plasma flow induced by thermal effects are shown to affect the CBET gain. Ion trapping can enhance or detune the CBET resonance [Nguyen et al., Phys. Plasmas 28, 082705 (2021)]. Collisional de-trapping can affect the CBET gain at low seed beam intensity near the onset threshold for ion trapping. Thermal-effects-induced flow can also detune the CBET resonance at a level comparable to that from trapping at low seed beam intensity. As a consequence, the CBET gain is sensitive to collisions and dimensionality at low seed beam intensity where ion trapping is weak but is insensitive to collisions and dimensionality at high seed beam intensity where ion trapping is strong.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Analysis of a recent hypothesis of plasma flow in pericapillary spaces.
Hydrodynamics of plasma flow in pericapillary spaces, postulating fluid annulus outside capillary wall as plasma reservoir responsible for hematocrit ratios
Howe, J. T.↗
An MHD simulation of plasma flow past Io - Alfven and slow mode perturbations
The flow of plasma past Io is studied using a time dependent, three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation. In addition to observing the 'Alfven wing', a standing Alfven wave perturbation expected from analytic theory, it is found that the other MHD modes contribute important perturbations. Standing slow mode perturbations also are present in the flow.
Linker, Jon A.↗
Properties of large scale plasma flow during the early stage of the plasmaspheric refilling
The objective is to better characterize the macroscopic properties of the interhemisphere plasma flow by solving a more complete set of hydrodynamic equations than that solved previously. Specifically, the ion continuity, momentum and energy equations were solved for the plasma flow along the closed magnetic field lines. During the initial stage of the supersonic outflow in the equatorial region, the ions cool substantially. Using the hydrodynamic model for the large-scale plasma flow, the dynamics of shocks was examined which form in the geomagnetic flux tubes during the early stages of refilling. These shocks are more like those forming in neutral gases than the electrostatic shocks driven by microinstabilities involving ion-ion interaction. Therefore, the shocks seen in the hydrodynamic model are termed as hydrodynamic shocks. Such shocks are generally unsteady and therefore the usual shock jump conditions given by Rankine-Hugoniot relations are not strictly applicable to them. The density, flow velocity and temperature structures associated with the shocks are examined for both asymmetrical and symmetrical flows. In the asymmetrical flow the outflow from one of two conjugate ionospheres is dominant. On the other hand, in the symmetrical case outflows from the two ionospheric sources are identical. Both cases are treated by a two-stream model. In the late type of flow, the early-time refilling shows a relaxation type of oscillation, which is driven by the large-scale interactions between the two identical streams. After this early stage, the resulting temperature structure shows some interesting features. In the equatorial region the streams are isothermal, but in the off-equatorial regions the streams have quite different temperatures, and also densities and flow velocities. The dense and slow stream is found to be warmer than the low-density fast stream. In the late stage of refilling, the temperature is found to steadily increase from the conjugate ionospheres towards the equator; the equatorial temperature is found to be as high as about 8000 K compared to the ionospheric temperature of 3600 K.
Singh, Nagendra↗
Velocity-profile measurement in plasma flows using tracers produced by a laser beam.
Plasma flow velocity profile measurement by electrostatic probe detection of plasma drop caused by gas breakdown due to focused giant pulse laser
FLOW VELOCITY↗
Geomagnetic equatorial anomaly in zonal plasma flow
The observation of a geomagnetic signature in the zonal eastward plasma flow, which is a striking feature of the equatorial ionosphere in the evening quadrant is reported. These observations were derived fronm (E x B)/B-squared measurements made with the cylindrical double-floating-probe experiment carried on the Dynamics Explorer 2 satellite. The signature consists of a crest-trough-crest effect in the latitude dependence of the eastward plasma flow with the crests at + or - 8 dip latitude and the trough nearly centered at the dip equator at all geographic longitudes. This phenomenon can be readily interpreted in terms of the altitude dependence of the F region dynamo electric field, and it is related to dip equator signatures in the plasma density and the magnetic declination which have been reported earlier.
Aggson, T. L.↗
Collisionless plasma flow over a conducting sphere.
Laboratory simulation study of spacecraft-space plasma interaction using a plasma wind tunnel. Some preliminary results on a collisionless plasma flow pattern over a conducting sphere are presented. A physical explanation is given for the observed plasma flow behavior.
Stone, N. H.↗
Ion heating in thermal plasma flows.
The general effects of thermal plasma flows on the thermal structure of the upper ionosphere and inner magnetosphere are discussed. In the light of presented results, it is shown that thermal ions in the outer regions of the plasmasphere and beyond may be substantially hotter than previously thought.
Banks, P. M.↗
Ionospheric plasma flow over large high-voltage space platforms. I - Ion-plasma-time scale interactions of a plate at zero angle of attack. II - The formation and structure of plasma wake
The paper presents the theory and particle simulation results for the ionospheric plasma flow over a large high-voltage space platform at a zero angle of attack and at a large angle of attack. Emphasis is placed on the structures in the large, high-voltage regime and the transient plasma response on the ion-plasma time scale. Special consideration is given to the transient formation of the space-charge wake and its steady-state structure.
Wang, J.↗