Plasma detachment in a propulsive magnetic nozzle via ion demagnetization

Mario Merino, Eduardo Ahedo
2014 Plasma Sources Science & Technology  
Plasma detachment in propulsive magnetic nozzles is shown to be a robust phenomenon caused by the inability of the internal electric fields to bend most of the supersonic ions along the magnetic streamtubes. As a result, the plasma momentum is effectively ejected to produce thrust, and only a marginal fraction of the beam mass flows back. Detachment takes place even if quasineutrality holds everywhere and electrons are fully magnetized, and is intimately linked to the formation of local
more » ... currents. The divergence angle of the 95%-mass flow tube is used as a quantitative detachment performance figure.
doi:10.1088/0963-0252/23/3/032001 fatcat:3gonvf6n7bc6dowznks3rd77cu