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At least 1,027 records · Page 57

Field evaporation ion source with possible application to electrostatic propulsion

Field evaporation of solid metal electrodes has been proposed as an ion source for an electrostatic propulsion device. The chief advantage over existing ion sources is the prospect of 100 percent fuel utilization efficiency. This advantage arises as a result of the elimination of the need for a gaseous precursor state for propellant ionization. The attainment of required high surface field strengths is achieved through field-induced extrusion of the electrode geometry at elevated temperatures. Contributions of both surface and bulk transport mechanisms are taken into account.

Weizer, V. G.↗

The geometric factor of a cylindrical plate electrostatic analyzer

A method for calculating the geometric factor of cylindrical plate electrostatic energy analyzers with various detector geometries is described. The effects of the fringe-field are estimated. For a special simple case an exact geometric factor is calculated enabling an estimate of the inaccuracies of the approximations used in other cases. The results of some calculations are presented and a simple approximate expression for the geometric factor is deduced.

Johnstone, A. D.↗

Electrostatic-probe measurements of plasma parameters for two reentry flight experiments at 25000 feet per second

Unique plasma diagnostic measurements at high altitudes from two geometrically similar blunt body reentry spacecraft using electrostatic probe rakes are presented. The probes measured the positive ion density profiles (shape and magnitude) during the two flights. The probe measurements were made at eight discrete points (1 cm to 7 cm) from the vehicle surface in the aft flow field of the spacecraft over the altitude range of 85.3 to 53.3 km (280,000 to 175,000 ft) with measured densities of 10 to the 8th power to 10 to the 12th power electrons/cu cm, respectively. Maximum reentry velocity for each spacecraft was approximately 7620 meters/second (25,000 ft/sec). In the first flight experiment, water was periodically injected into a flow field which was contaminated by ablation products from the spacecraft nose region. The nonablative nose of the second spacecraft thereby minimized flow field contamination. Comparisons of the probe measured density profiles with theoretical calculations are presented with discussion as to the probable cause of significant disagreement. Also discussed are the correlation of probe measurements with vehicle angle of attack motions and the good high altitude agreement between electron densities inferred from the probe measurements, VHF antenna measurements, and microwave reflectometer diagnostic measurements.

Jones, W. L., Jr.↗

Numerical method and FORTRAN program for the solution of an axisymmetric electrostatic collector design problem

The numerical calculation is described of the steady-state flow of electrons in an axisymmetric, spherical, electrostatic collector for a range of boundary conditions. The trajectory equations of motion are solved alternately with Poisson's equation for the potential field until convergence is achieved. A direct (noniterative) numerical technique is used to obtain the solution to Poisson's equation. Space charge effects are included for initial current densities as large as 100 A/sq cm. Ways of dealing successfully with the difficulties associated with these high densities are discussed. A description of the mathematical model, a discussion of numerical techniques, results from two typical runs, and the FORTRAN computer program are included.

Reese, O. W.↗

A single axis electrostatic beam deflection system for a 5-cm diameter ion thruster

A single-axis electrostatic beam deflection system has been tested on a 5-cm diameter mercury ion thruster at a thrust level of about 0.43 mlb (25 mA beam current at 1400 volts). The accelerator voltage was 500 volts. Beam deflection capability of plus or minus 10 deg was demonstrated. A life test of 1367 hours was run at the above conditions. Results of the test indicated that the system could possibly perform for upwards of 10,000 hours.

Lathem, W. C.↗

A ten-stage electrostatic depressed collector for improving klystron efficiency.

A ten-stage electrostatic depressed collector, designed with the aid of an analog computer, was tested on a 1-kW CW 750-MHz klystron. Excellent correlation was achieved between computed and measured performance under varying conditions of RF drive. At full RF power output approximately 60 per cent of the spent beam energy was recovered by use of the depressed collector. The net power conversion efficiency of the tube was raised from its undepressed value of 54.3 per cent to approximately 70.9 per cent. At one-half full power output, a collector efficiency of 70 per cent was measured. At zero RF power output collector efficiency was 80 per cent. To achieve these results it was necessary to install a small focusing coil between the final drift tube and the collector. No spurious oscillations or instabilities were detected when collector depression was employed, nor was electron backstreaming increased significantly. Intentional short circuiting of adjacent collector electrode pairs was shown to cause only minor degradation in collector performance.

Neugebauer, W.↗

General method for calculating derivatives of the lattice electrostatic energy.

A method for calculating the derivatives of lattice electrostatic strain energy is proposed. It offers a computation procedure that is more general, concise, and systematic than any of the procedures previously used by Fuchs (1936), Cousins (1967), and Suzuki et al. (1968). The method can also easily be extended to fourth- and higher-order derivatives without undue difficulty.

Macdonald, D. E.↗

The geometric factor of a cylindrical plate electrostatic analyzer.

A method for calculating the geometric factor of cylindrical plate electrostatic energy analyzers with various detector geometries is described. The effects of the fringe field are estimated. For a special simple case an exact geometric factor is calculated, enabling an estimate to be made of the inaccuracies of the approximations used in other cases. The results of some calculations are presented, and a simple approximate expression for the geometric factor is deduced.

Johnstone, A. D.↗

Turbulence of electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves observed by Ogo 5.

Analysis of VLF emissions that have been observed near 3/2, 5/2, and 7/2 f sub H by Ogo 5 in the magnetosphere (f sub H is the electron cyclotron frequency) in the light of the mechanism used for the diffuse plasma resonance f sub Dn observed by Alouette 2 and Isis 1. The VLF emission is considered to be generated by nonlinear coupling mechanisms in certain portions of the observation as the f sub Dn is enhanced by its association with nonlinear wave-particle interaction of the electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic wave, including the instability due to the nonlinear inverse Landau damping mechanism in the turbulence. The difference between the two observations is in the excitation mechanism of the turbulence; the turbulence in the plasma trough detected by Ogo 5 is due to natural origins, whereas the ionospheric topside sounder makes the plasma wave turbulence artificially by submitting strong stimulation pulses. Electron density values in the plasma trough are deduced by applying the f sub Dn-f sub N/f sub H relationship obtained from the Alouette 2 experiment as well as by applying the condition for the wave-particle nonlinear interactions. The electron density values reveal good agreement with the ion density values observed simultaneously by the highly sensitive ion mass spectrometer.

Oya, H.↗

Electrostatic propulsion beam divergence effects on spacecraft surfaces, volume 2

The third phase of a program to develop understanding of and tolerance-level criteria for the deleterious effects of electrostatic rocket exhaust (Cs, Cs(+), Hg, Hg(+)) and materials of rocket construction impinging on typical classes of spacecraft (S/C) surfaces was completed. Models of ion engine effluents and models describing the degradation of S/C surfaces by these effluents are presented. Experimental data from previous phases are summarized and Phase 2 data and analysis are presented in detail. The spacecraft design implications of ion engine contaminants are discussed.

Hall, D. F.↗

Turbulence in electrostatic ion acoustic shocks

Three types of collisionless electrostatic ion acoustic shocks are investigated using a double plasma (DP) device: (1) laminar shocks; (2) small amplitude turbulent shocks in which the turbulence is confined to be upstream of the shock potential jump; and (3) large amplitude turbulent shocks in which the wave turbulence occurs throughout the shock transition. The wave turbulence is generated by ions which are reflected from the shock potential; linear theory spatial growth increments agree with experimental values. The experimental relationship between the shock Mach number and the shock potential is shown to be inconsistent with theoretical shock models which assume that the electrons are isothermal. Theoretical calculations which assume a trapped electron equation of a state and a turbulently flattened velocity distrubution function for the reflected ions yields a Mach number vs potential relationship in agreement with experiment.

Means, R. W.↗

Electrostatic thrusters.

The current status of research and development programs on electrostatic thrusters is reviewed. Current programs that utilize mercury electron-bombardment thrusters range from 5- to 30-cm in diameter. Recent progress on the 5-cm thruster has emphasized durability, with accelerator time exceeding 6300 hours and total time on the rest of the thruster exceeding 8300 hours. Recent progress on the 30-cm thruster has been outstanding in dished-grid accelerator systems. Ion beams up to 5 amperes have been obtained for short periods with 1000 volts net accelerating potential difference. The cesium electron-bombardment and cesium contact programs are also described.

Kaufman, H. R.↗

High-frequency electrostatic waves in the magnetosphere.

High-frequency electrostatic microinstabilities in magnetospheric plasmas are considered in detail. Rather special plasma parameters are found to be required to match the theoretical wave spectrum with satellite observations in the magnetosphere. In particular, it is necessary to have a cold and a warm species of electrons such that (1) the warm component has an anomalous velocity distribution function that is nonmonotonic in the perpendicular component of velocity and is the source of free energy driving the instabilities, (2) the density ratio of the cold component to the hot component is greater than about 0.01, and (3) the temperature ratio of the two components for cases of high particle density is no less than 0.1. These requirements and the corresponding instability criteria are satisfied only in the trapping region; this is also the region in which the waves are most frequently observed. The range of unstable wavelengths and an estimate of the diffusion coefficient are also obtained. The wave are found to induce strong diffusion in velocity space for low-energy electrons during periods of moderate wave amplitude.

Young, T. S. T.↗

The cylindrical electrostatic probes for Atmosphere Explorer -C, -D, and -E.

This paper briefly describes the cylindrical electrostatic probes to be used on the new Atmosphere Explorer-C, -D, and -E, and outlines the methods to be employed to analyze the experimental data in terms of electron temperature and ion and electron concentration. Two independent cylindrical sensors and partially redundant electronic systems permit greater reliability in measurements. Measurements are made at 1-sec and 2-sec intervals along the orbit. The sensors themselves have been modified from previous applications to cope with the lower electron temperature expected in these low-altitude orbits and to counter possible surface contamination caused by the hydrazine engines used for orbit adjustments.

Brace, L. H.↗