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.     

圆柱形霍尔推力器内等离子体数值模拟

利用一维磁流体动力学模型,对圆柱形霍尔推力器的放电等离子体进行了数值模拟。考虑了等离子体的电离、中和、碰撞、玻姆扩散及阳极鞘层的影响,由龙格-库塔方法得到离子速度、离子数密度、电子的温度等分布,其与实验结果有很好的一致性。经分析可知,此分布与电磁场的分布、粒子碰撞及电子阻抗等因素有关,并分析了电子温度分布、电子速度与电磁场的关系。结果表明,离子数密度沿通道方向增加,但在出口附近略有下降;而中性粒子数密度逐渐降低;离子速度在出口达到最大值,电子速度在下游有较大的梯度分布。     

脉冲等离子体推力器羽流预测计算研究

为了能够将脉冲等离子体推力器成功地运用于空间,需对其羽流进行研究。将一维 MHD双温放电模型的计算结果作为入口条件,运用DSMC（Direct Simulation Monte\|Carlo ）／PIC（Particle in Cell）流体混合算法一体化模拟实验室PPT羽流。验证计算显示该模 型具有一体化模拟脉冲等离子体推力器羽流的能力。对不同初始放电能量下的羽流场进行模 拟,给出了离子、中性粒子、电子温度、轴线上质量流率和出口平面返流质量流率的变化情 况。计算结果显示高放电能量下返流量更大,同时中性粒子在返流中所占比例也越大。
     

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).     

用于SiC超光滑表面加工的大气等离子体抛光系统设计

设计了一套基于射频电容耦合放电原理的大气等离子体抛光原型装置,电容耦合等离子体炬首次被应用到了抛光系统中。针对SiC反射镜的加工实验结果表明,系统工作正常,并可以实现亚纳米级的表面粗糙度。