Nonstationary Model of a Low-Density Plasma Jet Ejected from a Stationary Plasma Thruster

Abstract

A time-dependent problem on finding the parameters of a low-density plasma jet ejected from a stationary plasma thruster is analyzed. In contrast to earlier works in which a stationary problem was solved using a Crook-type kinetic model, a set of kinetic equations is derived at the accuracy level accepted in the kinetic theory with allowance for resonant charge-exchange interaction between ions and neutrals. A method to solve the obtained set of equations is developed and used to perform test simulations, some results of which are presented.