Abstract
The steady-state acceleration of a plasma to supersonic velocities, through the application of a voltage, is shown to occur only when certain relations between the plasma and field parameters are Satisfied, in analogy to the gas acceleration in a Laval nozzle. Forming an abrupt change in the channel parameters at a certain location by adding a floating electrode, is shown to remove this constraint and to allow steady acceleration that is not restricted to those relations. Adjusting parameters so that the sonic transition occurs at the segmented electrode creates an abrupt sonic transition, resulting in a more efficient acceleration.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| State | Published - 1999 |
| Event | 35th Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, 1999 - Los Angeles, United States Duration: Jun 20 1999 → Jun 24 1999 |
Other
| Other | 35th Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, 1999 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Los Angeles |
| Period | 6/20/99 → 6/24/99 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Control and Systems Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering