PIC/Fluid simulations of the plasma expansion in a planar magnetic arch

Abstract

Magnetic arches (MA) (i.e. the magnetic topology that emerges when placing two magnetic nozzles with opposite polarities side by side) are an attractive option for the clustering of multiple electrodeless plasma thrusters, as they are characterized by a zero magnetic dipole moment and thus allow a reduction of perturbing magnetic forces on the spacecraft. This work employs the hybrid code EP2PLUS to simulate and study the plasma expansion for such a magnetic topology in the planar limit. First, a reference simulation is used to analyze the leading physical mechanisms that govern the plume properties. Ions are thus found to be characterized by a double peaked velocity distribution function close to the symmetry plane, where the plasma beams emitted by the two thrusters merge, while the magnetic force acting on electrons is shown to shape both the lateral confinement of the plume, and the thrust profile provided. Second, a parametric sweep on the strength of the magnetic field shows that its influence on the propulsive properties and on the characteristics of the plume saturates for values of the Hall parameter larger than around 10. Beyond this value of the Hall parameter, only the in-plane electron currents are found to be particularly sensitive both to the magnetization levels and the boundary conditions employed, although they are also largely decoupled from the rest of plasma properties. Finally, background pressure effects were considered by including collisions with neutral atoms in the simulations, highlighting the relevance of neutral entrainment in the modification of the plume properties and in the propulsive performance of the MA.