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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

Properties of a warm plasma collisional sheath in an oblique magnetic field

The properties of a warm plasma collisional sheath in an oblique magnetic field and the associated sheath criterion are investigated with a two-fluid model. In the fluid framework, a sheath criterion including effects of the magnetic field and collision is established theoretically for a wide range of ion temperature. With the sheath criterion as the plasma-sheath boundary condition, different plasma parameters including potential, electron and ion densities, and ion velocity are calculated for various ion temperatures and ion thermal motions. It is shown that the properties of the sheath depend not only on the plasma balance equations but also on the sheath boundary conditions. In addition, effects of the directions and magnitudes of the magnetic field on the plasma sheath are also discussed under different ion temperatures.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Effect of two-temperature electrons distribution on an electrostatic plasma sheath

A magnetized collisionless plasma sheath containing two-temperature electrons is studied using a one-dimensional model in which the low-temperature electrons are described by Maxwellian distribution (MD) and high-temperature electrons are described by truncated Maxwellian distribution (TMD). Based on the ion wave approach, a modified sheath criterion including effect of TMD caused by high-temperature electrons energy above the sheath potential energy is established theoretically. The model is also used to investigate numerically the sheath structure and energy flux to the wall for plasmas parameters of an open divertor tokamak-like. Our results show that the profiles of the sheath potential, two-temperature electrons and ions densities, high-temperature electrons and ions velocities as well as the energy flux to the wall depend on the high-temperature electrons concentration, temperature, and velocity distribution function associated with sheath potential. In addition, the results obtained in the high-temperature electrons with TMD as well as with MD sheaths are compared for the different sheath potential.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Sheath and boundary conditions in a collisional magnetized warm electronegative plasma

The characteristics of a weakly collisional sheath in a warm electronegative plasma in the presence of an oblique magnetic field are investigated using a fluid model including the effects of ionization and ion-neutral collisions. The general sheath criterion imposed on the entrance velocity component of the positive ions perpendicular to the wall at the sheath-presheath edge is derived and discussed. It is shown that the boundary conditions are crucial to the sheath structure. Without including the entrance velocity components parallel to the wall, a pulse-like structure in the positive-ion density distribution near the sheath-presheath edge appears if the magnetic field is strong. With inclusion of all velocity components at the edge, the pulse-like structure disappears, resulting in a smooth sheath profile. It is also found that increasing the temperature and decreasing the concentration of the negative ions will increase the sheath thickness, and increasing the magnetic field will decrease the sheath thickness.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Ion temperature and gas pressure effects on the magnetized sheath dynamics during plasma immersion ion implantation

Here, a collisional magnetized plasma with finite ion temperature is considered to examine the effects of the ion temperature and gas pressure on the plasma-sheath dynamics. We use the two-fluid model of plasma-sheath where the nonlinear equations of a dynamic sheath are solved using a full implicit scheme of finite difference method along with some convenient initial and boundary conditions at the plasma center and target. It is found that the ion temperature only has a significant effect on the characteristics of low voltage sheath, while the gas pressure (collision rate) seriously affects the dynamic characteristics of the low and high voltage plasma-sheath. One can see, increasing the ion temperature in low voltage plasma-sheath causes to increase the temporal curve of the ion dose and the ion impact energy on the target, reduces the temporal curve of the sheath width, and has no any effect on the temporal curve of the ion incident angle on the target. However, rising the gas pressure in low and high voltage plasma-sheath reduces all of these temporal curves.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Measurement of effective sheath width around the cutoff probe based on electromagnetic simulation

We inferred the effective sheath width using the cutoff probe and incorporating a full-wave three-dimensional electromagnetic (EM) simulation. The EM simulation reproduced the experimentally obtained plasma-sheath resonance (PSR) on the microwave transmission (S{sub 21}) spectrum well. The PSR frequency has a one-to-one correspondence with the width of the vacuum layer assumed to be the effective sheath in the EM simulation model. The sheath width was estimated by matching the S{sub 21} spectra of the experiment and the EM simulation for different widths of the sheath. We found that the inferred sheath widths quantitatively and qualitatively agree with the sheath width measured by incorporating an equivalent circuit model. These results demonstrate the excellent potential of the cutoff probe for inferring the effective sheath width from its experimental spectrum data.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Calculation of RF sheath properties from surface wave-fields: a post-processing method

In ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) experiments in fusion research devices, radio frequency (RF) sheaths form where plasma, strong RF wave fields and material surfaces coexist. These RF sheaths affect plasma material interactions such as sputtering and localized power deposition, as well as the global RF wave fields themselves. RF sheaths may be modeled by employing a sheath boundary condition (BC) in place of the more customary conducting wall BC; however, there are still many ICRF computer codes that do not implement the sheath BC. In this paper we present a method for post-processing results obtained with the conducting wall BC. The post-processing method produces results that are equivalent to those that would have been obtained with the RF sheath BC, under certain assumptions. We found the post-processing method is also useful for verification of sheath BC implementations and as a guide to interpretation and understanding of the role of RF sheaths and their interactions with the waves that drive them.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effects of emitting surfaces and trapped ions on the sheath physics and current flow in multidimensional plasma systems

Recent one-dimensional simulations of planar sheaths with strong electron emission have shown that trapping of charge-exchange ions causes transitions from space-charge limited (SCL) to inverse sheaths. However, multidimensional emitting sheath phenomena with collisions remained unexplored, due in part to high computational cost. As such, we developed a novel continuum kinetic code to study the sheath physics, current flow and potential distributions in two-dimensional unmagnetized configurations with emitting surfaces. For small negatively biased thermionic cathodes in a plasma, the cathode sheath can exist in an equilibrium SCL state. The SCL sheath carries an immense density of trapped ions, neutralized by thermoelectrons, within the potential well of the virtual cathode. For further increases of emitted flux, the trapped ion cloud expands in space. The trapped ion space charge causes an increase of thermionic current far beyond the saturation limit predicted by conventional collisionless SCL sheath models without ion trapping. For sufficiently strong emission, the trapped ion cloud consumes the entire 2D plasma domain, forming a mode with globally confined ions and an inverse sheath at the cathode. In situations where the emitted flux is fixed and the bias is swept (e.g. emissive probe), the trapped ions cause a large thermionic current to escape for all biases below the plasma potential. Strong suppression of the thermionic emission, required for the probe to float, only occurs when the probe is above the plasma potential.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Outer Radiation Belt Flux and Phase Space Density Response to Sheath Regions: Van Allen Probes and GPS Observations

Turbulent and compressed sheath regions preceding interplanetary coronal mass ejections strongly impact electron dynamics in the outer radiation belt. Changes in electron flux can occur on timescales of tens of minutes, which are unlikely to be captured by a two-satellite mission. The recently released Global Positioning System (GPS) data set generally has shorter revisit times (at L ~ 4–8) owing to the large number of satellites in the constellation equipped with energetic particle detectors. Investigating electron fluxes at energies from 140 keV to 4 MeV and sheaths observed in 2012–2018, we show that the flux response to sheaths on a timescale of 6 hr, previously reported from Van Allen Probes (RBSP) data, is reproduced by GPS measurements. Furthermore, GPS data enables derivation of the response on a timescale of 30 min, which further confirms that the energy and L-shell dependent changes in electron flux are associated with the impact of the sheath. Sheath-driven loss is underestimated over longer timescales as the electrons recover during the ejecta. We additionally show the response of electron phase space density (PSD), which is a key quantity in identifying non-adiabatic loss from the system and electron energization through wave-particle interactions. The PSD response is calculated from both RBSP and GPS data for the 6 hr timescale, as well as from GPS data for the 30 min timescale. The response is divided based on the geoeffectiveness of the sheaths revealing that electrons are effectively accelerated only during geoeffective sheaths, while loss commonly occurs during all sheaths.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Plasma-wall interaction in an electrostatic sheath of plasma containing a monoenergetic electron beam

The plasma-wall interaction in the presence of a monoenergetic electron beam has been studied by taking into account the self-consistency among plasma transport in a collisionless electrostatic sheath, deposited energy flux at the wall and material thermal response for carbon and tungsten as wall materials. The variations of the potential drop across the sheath, ion velocity at the sheath edge, and surface temperature of material as a function of electron beam flux are explored in the presence of the electron emission. It is found that when electron beam does not dominate the sheath, potential drop across the sheath depends strongly on the material properties due to the impact of electron emission while the surface temperature of material shows monotonic variation. In the case of carbon wall, the electron beam may dominate the sheath at a certain electron beam concentration or energy. Under this circumstance, both the potential drop across the sheath and surface temperature of material demonstrate the sharp increasing transition. The development of local hot spot on the plasma facing material is caused by the enhanced ion energy flux instead of the electron beam energy flux. If the electron emission is not taken into account, as a smaller electron beam flux, both the potential drop across the sheath and surface temperature of material display the significant change and then it may be easier to develop for the local hot spot on the plasma facing material.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Presence of Turbulent and Ordered Local Structure within the ICME Shock-sheath and Its Contribution to Forbush Decrease

The transient interplanetary disturbances evoke short-time cosmic-ray flux decrease, which is known as Forbush decrease. The traditional model and understanding of Forbush decrease suggest that the sub-structure of an interplanetary counterpart of coronal mass ejection (ICME) independently contributes to cosmic-ray flux decrease. These sub-structures, shock-sheath, and magnetic cloud (MC) manifest as classical two-step Forbush decrease. The recent work by Raghav et al. has shown multi-step decreases and recoveries within the shock-sheath. However, this cannot be explained by the ideal shock-sheath barrier model. Furthermore, they suggested that local structures within the ICME’s sub-structure (MC and shock-sheath) could explain this deviation of the FD profile from the classical FD. Therefore, the present study attempts to investigate the cause of multi-step cosmic-ray flux decrease and respective recovery within the shock-sheath in detail. A 3D-hodogram method is utilized to obtain more details regarding the local structures within the shock-sheath. This method unambiguously suggests the formation of small-scale local structures within the ICME (shock-sheath and even in MC). Moreover, the method could differentiate the turbulent and ordered interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) regions within the sub-structures of ICME. The study explicitly suggests that the turbulent and ordered IMF regions within the shock-sheath do influence cosmic-ray variations differently.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2018

Characterization of Rapid Charging Events Due to Sheath Capacitance and Impact on the International Space Station Plasma Hazard Process

During an Extravehicular Activity (EVA), if the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) makes galvanic contact with the International Space Station (ISS), a negative Floating Potential (FP) can lead to an arcing hazard when it exceeds -45.5 V, and a positive FP can produce a DC current high enough to stimulate the astronaut’s muscles (5 mA), and also cause a hazard. The Boeing Space Environments team developed and utilizes a Plasma Interaction Model (PIM) in order to calculate the ISS FP based on the plasma environment, ISS velocity, geomagnetic field, solar array and ISS orientation, and solar array regulation to support EVA planning operations. Presently, the model excludes the sheath capacitance, resulting in the total potential drop being across the dielectric surface of the vehicle. Data from the Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) show this assumption to be generally true. However, Rapid Charging Events (RCE) are often observed in the FPMU data at eclipse exit when the electron number density, Ne, is low (less than 5(sub e)10 m (exp-3)). During these events, the FP can rise more than 40 V in one to five seconds. There is then a relaxation phase where the FP drops back to the normal FP values. The PIM model is not capable of producing these RCEs. It was thought that the inclusion of the sheath in PIM could improve the charging predictions, particularly as related to RCEs. A parametric study was performed to determine what portion of the measured FP is across the sheath for a range of Ne experienced by the ISS, and if the inclusion of the sheath in PIM is necessary. Results show that the potential drop across the sheath is negligible at times when the N(sub e) is greater than 1(sub e)11 m-3. However, there appears to be a transitional region between 1(sub e)10 m(exp -3) and 1(sub e)11 m(exp -3) where the sheath capacitance becomes more significant. During those conditions the potential drop across the sheath can be larger than the potential drop across the dielectric for short periods (1-5 seconds). These results agree remarkably well with measurements made by the FPMU. The inclusion of the sheath explains why high charging measurements occur when the Ne is low at eclipse exit and even times when the solar arrays are not a significant driver (i.e., potentials often rise as the ISS flies through spread-F). Results also show that the RCEs are not a safety concern because the potential drop across the dielectric surface does not exceed -45.5 V. In that case, the EMU would not arc. This gives high confidence in the low probability of an arcing hazard occurring.

plasma environment↗
DOE OSTI2012

Physics of the intermediate layer between a plasma and a collisionless sheath and mathematical meaning of the Bohm criterion

A transformation of the ion momentum equation simplifies a mathematical description of the transition layer between a quasi-neutral plasma and a collisionless sheath and clearly reveals the physics involved. Balance of forces acting on the ion fluid is delicate in the vicinity of the sonic point and weak effects come into play. For this reason, the passage of the ion fluid through the sonic point, which occurs in the transition layer, is governed not only by inertia and electrostatic force but also by space charge and ion-atom collisions and/or ionization. Occurrence of different scenarios of asymptotic matching in the plasma-sheath transition is analyzed by means of simple mathematical examples, asymptotic estimates, and numerical calculations. In the case of a collisionless sheath, the ion speed distribution plotted on the logarithmic scale reveals a plateau in the intermediate region between the sheath and the presheath. The value corresponding to this plateau has the meaning of speed with which ions leave the presheath and enter the sheath; the Bohm speed. The plateau is pronounced reasonably well provided that the ratio of the Debye length to the ion mean free path is of the order of 10{sup -3} or smaller. There is no such plateau if the sheath is collisional and hence no sense in talking of a speed with which ions enter the sheath.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

The positive ion temperature effect in magnetized electronegative plasma sheath with two species of positive ions

The properties of a magnetized multi-component (two species of positive ions, negative ions and electrons) plasma sheath with finite positive ion temperature are studied. By using three fluid hydrodynamic model and some dimensionless variables, the ion (both lighter and heavier positive ions, and negative ions) densities, the ion (only for positive ions) velocities, and electric potential inside the sheath are investigated. In addition, the absence and presence of magnetic field and the orientation of magnetic field are considered. It is noticed that, with increase of positive ion temperature, the lighter positive ion density peaks increase only at the sheath edge and shift towards the sheath edge for both absence and presence of magnetic field. For heavier positive ions, in the absence of magnetic field, the density peaks increase at the sheath edge. But in the presence of magnetic field, the density fluctuations increase at the sheath edge. For both the cases, the density peaks shift towards the sheath edge.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Nonextensive statistics and the sheath criterion in collisional plasmas

The Bohm criterion in an electropositive plasma containing nonextensively distributed electrons and warm ions is investigated by using a steady state two-fluid model. Taking into account the ion-neutral collisions and finite temperature of ions, a modified Bohm criterion is derived which limits both maximum and minimum allowable velocity of ions at the sheath edge (u{sub 0i}). It is found that the degree of nonextensivity of electrons (q) and temperature of positive ions (T{sub i}) affect only the lower limit of the entrance velocity of ions into the sheath while the degree of ion collisionality (α) influences both lower and upper limits of the ion velocities at the sheath edge. In addition, depending on the value of q, it is shown that the minimum velocity of positive ions at the sheath edge can be greater or smaller than its Maxwellian counterpart. Moreover, it is shown that, depending on the values of α and T{sub i}, the positive ions with subsonic velocity may enter the sheath for either q > 1 or −1 < q < 1. Finally, as a practical application, the density distribution of charged particles in the sheath region is studied for different values of u{sub 0i}, and it is shown that monotonical reduction of the positive ion density distribution occurs only when the velocity of positive ions at the sheath edge lies between two above mentioned limits.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Sheath structure in plasmas with nonextensively distributed electrons and thermal ions

Sheath region of an electropositive plasma consisting of q-nonextensive electrons and singly charged positive ions with finite temperature is modeled. Using Sagdeev's pseudo potential technique to derive the modified sheath formation criterion, it is shown that the velocity of ions at the sheath edge is directly proportional to the ion temperatures and inversely proportional to the degree of nonextensivity of electrons (q-parameter). Using the modified Bohm criterion, effect of degree of nonextensivity of electrons and temperature of positive ions on the characteristics of the sheath region are investigated numerically. It is shown that an increase in the ion temperature gives rise to an increase in the electrostatic potential and the velocity of ions in the sheath regardless of the value of q. Furthermore, it is seen that the sheath width and the density distribution of the charged particles decrease by increasing the temperature of positive ions. In addition, it is found that the positive ion temperature is less effective on the sheath structure for higher values of the q-parameter. Finally, the results obtained for a thermal plasma with nonextensively distributed electrons are compared with the results of a cold plasma with nonextensive electrons and an extensive (Maxwellian) plasma with thermal ions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

The magnetized sheath of a dusty plasma with grains size distribution

The structure of a plasma sheath in the presence of dust grains size distribution (DGSD) is investigated in the multi-fluid framework. It is shown that effect of the dust grains with different sizes on the sheath structure is a collective behavior. The spatial distributions of electric potential, the electron and ion densities and velocities, and the dust grains surface potential are strongly affected by DGSD. The dynamics of dust grains with different sizes in the sheath depend on not only DGSD but also their radius. By comparison of the sheath structure, it is found that under the same expected value of DGSD condition, the sheath length is longer in the case of lognormal distribution than that in the case of uniform distribution. In two cases of normal and lognormal distributions, the sheath length is almost equal for the small variance of DGSD, and then the difference of sheath length increases gradually with increase in the variance.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Effect of electron reflection on magnetized plasma sheath in an oblique magnetic field

Magnetized plasma sheaths in an oblique magnetic field were extensively investigated by conventionally assuming Boltzmann relation for electron density. This article presents the study of the magnetized sheath without using the Boltzmann relation but by considering the electron reflection along the magnetic field lines caused by the negative sheath potential. A generalized Bohm criterion is analytically derived, and sheath profiles are numerically obtained, which are compared with the results of the conventional model. The results show that the ion Mach number at the sheath edge normal to the wall has a strong dependence on the wall potential, which differs significantly from the conventional model in which the Mach number is independent of the wall potential. The floating wall potential is lower in the present model than that in the conventional model. Furthermore, the sheath profiles are appreciably narrower in the present model when the wall bias is low, but approach the result of the conventional model when the wall bias is high. The sheath thickness decreases with the increase of ion-to-electron temperature ratio and magnetic field strength but has a complex relationship with the angle of the magnetic field.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurement and modeling of the radio frequency sheath impedance in a large magnetized plasma

The DC and RF properties of radio frequency (RF) driven sheaths were studied in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at the University of California, Los Angeles. The experiments diagnosed RF sheaths on field lines connected to a grounded plate at one end and an ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) antenna at the other end. The experimental setup permitted measurement of the RF sheath impedance at the plate as a function of DC sheath voltage, with the latter controlled by varying the RF current applied to the antenna. Here, the DC current-voltage characteristics of these sheaths and the RF sheath impedance measurements were compared with modeling. Hot electrons, present in the LAPD plasma, were inferred to contribute significantly to both the DC and RF currents and hence the RF impedance. It was postulated that at very low power hot electrons could not access the region of the plasma subject to RF waves, resulting in an increased RF impedance. Within some experimental limitations and significant assumptions, an RF sheath impedance model was verified by the experimental data.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗