Use of the Bohm’s formula and its analogues in probe diagnostics

Abstract

Simple algorithms are developed to proceed the probe characteristics in a number of limiting regimes when the characteristic probe size, r_p, is relatively large (r_p > 10³rD). It relates both to steady plasmas and to movement with the directed velocity, u. We consider the cases of collision-free (the Knudsen number, Kn≫1) and collisional (Kn≪1) plasmas. The majority of the proposed algorithms are tested in practice and confirm their reliability.