Charging of dust grains by anisotropic solar wind multi-component plasma

In this paper we study the charging process of small grain particles by anisotropic multi-component solar wind plasmas (electrons, protons and heavy ions), versus two-component (electron/proton) plasmas. We are focusing attention on the important characteristics of the charging process, namely the charging time, floating potential and current content as functions of plasma parameters such as He⁺⁺/H⁺ (α/p) number density and T_α/T_p temperature ratios of alpha particles to protons, as well as plasma streaming velocity v₀. Measured statistical properties of solar wind plasma parameters at 1 AU show considerable variations in α/p-temperature ratios from 1 to 10, in α/p-number density ratio from 0.01 to 0.35, as well as in values of streaming velocity v₀ from 200 km/s to 1000 km/s and more. Periods of these variations could last for several days each, leading to significant variability in the charging process, according to newly derived general analytical expressions. Numerical calculations performed for protons/alphas plasmas showed large disparity in the charging characteristics. For example, in anisotropic plasma, grain charging time varies up to 90% depending on α/p-particles temperature and number density ratios, whereas changes in floating potential are up to 40%. In contrast, in isotropic plasma, charging characteristic for grains do not change very much for the same plasma parameters variations, with charging time varying about 12% and floating potential only varying about 4%. It is also shown that in highly anisotropic plasma, with all ballistic electrons and ions, dust grains could not hold their charges, and characteristic discharged time is calculated. We note that the analysis is equally applicable to any sized body immersed in solar wind plasma.     

Kinetic theory of sheath formation in solar wind plasma

We present a general self-consistent kinetic theory for plasma sheath formation in solar wind plasma. The theory could be applied to anisotropic, as well as to isotropic collisionless plasma without resorting to any simplifications, limitations, or assumptions, such as the necessary existence of a ‘pre-sheath’ region of ions acceleration to ensure the Bohm criterion. The kinetic framework is first applied to sheath formation around an arbitrary oriented planar absorbing surface, charged by solar wind anisotropic plasma, under the condition of negligible photoelectric effect. We then make use of our kinetic approach for the plane geometry in isotropic collisionless plasma, as a particular case of a planar electrode orientation parallel to plasma streaming velocity, also analyzing the sheath structure around spherical and cylindrical absorbing electrodes submerged in isotropic collisionless plasma. Obtained results demonstrate principal differences in spatial charge distributions in sheath regions between spherical or cylindrical electrodes of large size and an unbound planar surface submerged in isotropic plasma. In the case of a planar electrode, we directly compare results obtained in our kinetic and hydrodynamic theories and conventional hydrodynamic theory of plasma sheath formation. The outcome from the present study have direct implications to the analysis of plasma sheath structure and associated distribution in space of charged dust grains, which is relevant to the moon exploration near the optical terminator region or in shadowed craters in the moon.     

非平衡等离子体对甲烷点火和火焰传播影响的机理分析

为了探讨非平衡等离子体对甲烷点火和火焰传播速度影响,采用化学动力学模型GRI-Mech3.0,利用零维、均质、完全混合模型和火焰传播速度模型,对甲烷点火过程和火焰传播过程进行数值模拟,计算得到了非平衡等离子体生成自由基(O自由基和NOX自由基)对甲烷点火延迟时间和火焰传播速度的影响规律。结果表明:当分别加入0.5% O和0.5% NOX活性基时,点火延迟时间减少了约94.7%,63.1%(加入NO)和94.2%(加入NO₂)。通过反应路径分析和敏感度分析,揭示了非平衡等离子体生成自由基影响甲烷点火和火焰传播速度的化学反应机理。      

Total electron content of the ionosphere at two stations in East Africa during the 24–25 October 2011 geomagnetic storm

The equatorial ionosphere has been known to become highly disturbed and thus rendering space-based navigation unreliable during space weather events, such as geomagnetic storms. Modern navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) use radio-wave signals that reflect from or propagate through the ionosphere as a means of determining range or distance. Such systems are vulnerable to effects caused by geomagnetic storms, and their performance can be severely degraded. This paper analyses total electron content (TEC) and the corresponding GPS scintillations using two GPS SCINDA receivers located at Makerere University, Uganda (Lat: 0.3^o N; Lon: 32.5^o E) and at the University of Nairobi, Kenya (Lat: 1.3^o S; Lon: 36.8^o E), both in East Africa. The analysis shows that the scintillations actually correspond to plasma bubbles. The occurrence of plasma bubbles at one station was correlated with those at the other station by using observations from the same satellite. It was noted that some bubbles develop at one station and presumably “die off” before reaching the other station. The paper also discusses the effects of the geomagnetic storm of the 24–25 October 2011 on the ionospheric TEC at the two East African stations. Reductions in the diurnal TEC at the two stations during the period of the storm were observed and the TEC depletions observed during that period showed much deeper depletions than on the non-storm days. The effects during the storm have been attributed to the uplift of the ionospheric plasma, which was then transported away from this region by diffusion along magnetic field lines.     

脉冲等离子体源控制航天器表面充电电位的研究

在空间环境运行的航天器存在表面充电现象,而航天器表面充电引发的静电放电是导致航天器异常及故障的重要原因之一。因此,在航天器设计和应用中,必须对航天器表面电位采取必要的控制和防护措施。文章介绍了用脉冲等离子体源进行航天器表面充电电位主动控制的研究。通过模拟实验和实验数据分析,证实了用脉冲等离子体源能有效地控制航天器表面充...     

脉冲周期介质阻挡放电作用的PIV实验研究

静止大气下,对施加脉冲周期介质阻挡放电,半顶角为10°的圆锥前体进行了PIV实验研究。采用总平均和相位锁定平均方法对脉冲周期放电进行了分析;对比了不同占空比和不同相位角沿θ=90°半径上的切向速度和轴向涡量分布,得到了在圆锥表面等离子体诱导的最大速度和最大涡量;分析了脉冲周期放电的动量转移特性。实验结果表明：脉冲周期放电引发动量转移的主要机制是涡的增强而非气流的加速;当激励器处于脉冲放电间歇时,相位锁定平均的最大速度和最大涡量不为零,存在流动滞后效应,有利于节省能耗。     

用于飞行器隐身的闭式等离子体厚度选择分析

为分析闭式等离子体用于飞行器隐身的可行性,引入了可观隐身效果的概念及对应的闭式等离子体厚度。采用WKB方法,详细研究了X波段下的闭式等离子体吸波效果,得到了对应频段下产生可观隐身效果需要的等离子体厚度;研究了不同电子密度分布的吸波特性,数值算例说明,对不同电子密度分布的等离子体,吸波效果与厚度均成线性关系,同时,采用理论推导验证了该现象的正确性。结果表明,对于给定的电磁波,采用一定厚度的闭式等离子体可以达到可观隐身效果。     

Characteristics of field line resonance type geomagnetic pulsations and variations of plasmaspheric plasma density distribution

The period of field line resonance (FLR) type geomagnetic pulsations depends on the length of the field line and on the plasma density in the inner magnetosphere (plasmasphere), where field lines are closed. Here as FLR period, the period belonging to the maximum occurrence frequency of the occurrence frequency spectrum (equivalent resonance curve) of pulsations has been considered. The resonance system may be replaced by an equivalent resonant circuit. The plasma density would correspond to the ohmic load. The plasma in the plasmasphere originates from the ionosphere, thus FLR period, occurrence frequency are also affected by the maximum electron density in the ionosphere. The FLR period has shown an enhancement with increasing F region electron density, while the occurrence frequency indicated diminishing trend (possible damping effect). Thus, the increased plasma density may be the cause of the decreased occurrence of FLR type pulsations in the winter months of solar activity maximum years (winter anomaly).     

等离子体单极天线辐射特性和隐身性能研究

在等离子体单极天线工作原理的基础上,详细研究了等离子体表面波的色散关系,推导了等离子体的浓度分布和等离子体气柱长度与激励源的关系。并分析了离子体参数对等离子体天线谐振频率、方向图的影响,计算并比较了等离子体天线和普通天线的雷达散射截面。结果表明了等离子体天线具有优良性能和很好的隐身效果。     

非稳态单喷口射流控制扩压器内边界层的分离流动

对扩压器内单喷口射流产生的流向涡控制扩压器内部边界层分离流动行为进行了研究。研究的对象是一个扩张角为10°的二维扩压器,扩压器进出口面积比为1∶4.7,入口高度为15 mm。采用数值计算方法研究了当射流出口速度为非稳态时对分离流动的影响。给出了不同时刻,不同截面上的旋涡涡量分布。结果表明,采用非稳态喷射流向涡方法可以在不改变主流流量特性的情况下,有效地减小分离流动区域。