Distribution of neutral atoms and charge- exchange ions downstream of an ion thruster.

1968 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN F. STAGGS ◽  
WILLIAM P. GULA ◽  
WILLIAM R. KERSLAKE
Author(s):  
Iannis Dandouras ◽  
Philippe Garnier ◽  
Donald G Mitchell ◽  
Edmond C Roelof ◽  
Pontus C Brandt ◽  
...  

Titan's nitrogen-rich atmosphere is directly bombarded by energetic ions, due to its lack of a significant intrinsic magnetic field. Singly charged energetic ions from Saturn's magnetosphere undergo charge-exchange collisions with neutral atoms in Titan's upper atmosphere, or exosphere, being transformed into energetic neutral atoms (ENAs). The ion and neutral camera, one of the three sensors that comprise the magnetosphere imaging instrument (MIMI) on the Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan, images these ENAs like photons, and measures their fluxes and energies. These remote-sensing measurements, combined with the in situ measurements performed in the upper thermosphere and in the exosphere by the ion and neutral mass spectrometer instrument, provide a powerful diagnostic of Titan's exosphere and its interaction with the Kronian magnetosphere. These observations are analysed and some of the exospheric features they reveal are modelled.


1981 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 457-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R. Carruth ◽  
M.E. Brady

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1929-1934
Author(s):  
任军学 Ren Junxue ◽  
李娟 Li Juan ◽  
仇钎 Qiu Qian ◽  
汤海滨 Tang Haibin ◽  
温正 Wen Zheng

2018 ◽  
Vol 122 (1255) ◽  
pp. 1425-1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lu ◽  
P. Qiu ◽  
Y. Cao ◽  
T.P. Zhang ◽  
J.J. Chen

ABSTRACTCharge Exchange (CEX) ion is the main factor causing the plume pollution. The distribution of CEX ions is determined by the distribution of beam ions and neutral atoms. Hence, the primary problem in the study of the plume is how to accurately simulate the distribution of beam ions and neutral atoms. At present, the most commonly used model utilised for the plume simulation is the analytical model proposed by Roy for the plume simulation of the NASA Solar Technology Application Readiness (NSTAR) ion thruster. However, this analytical model can only be applied to the ion beam with small divergence angles. In addition, the analytical model is no longer applicable to the simulation for the plume of a new type of ion thruster that appeared recently, which is called the annular ion thruster. In this paper, a 3D particle model is proposed for the plume simulation of ion thrusters consisting of the particle model for beam ions, the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) model for neutral atoms and the Immersed Finite Element-Particle In Cell-Monte Carlo Collision (IFE-PIC-MCC) model for CEX ions. Then, the plume of the NSTAR ion thruster is simulated by both Roy's model and the 3D particle model. The simulation results of both models are then compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the numerical results of the 3D particle model agree well with those of the analytical model and the experimental data. And this 3D particle model can also be used for other electric thrusters.


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