Ion Acceleration in Collective Fields at Electron Beam Injection from Spacecraft
Abstract
The phenomenon of plasma ion acceleration in the collective fields surrounding the spacecraft during electron beam injection into ionospheric plasmas at heights of about 200km is discussed. The ion acceleration results in the bombardment of a spacecraft surface with ions and high-energy atoms. At different conditions one of the following mechanisms of ion acceleration predominates: (1) in the field of vortex or nonmonotonous self-consistent potential jump, and (2) in the virtual cathode. High-energy atoms are produced due to the charge exchange of the accelerated ions or due to atom-ion collisions.
- Publication:
-
Physica Scripta
- Pub Date:
- March 1998
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0031-8949/57/3/019
- Bibcode:
- 1998PhyS...57..453M