Continuum-plasma solution surrounding nonemitting spherical bodies
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Author(s)
Patacchini, Leonardo
Hutchinson, Ian Horner
Date Issued
June 2009
Journal
Physics of Plasmas
Publisher
American Institute of Physic
Citation
Patacchini, Leonardo, and Ian H. Hutchinson. “Continuum-plasma solution surrounding nonemitting spherical bodies.” Physics of Plasmas 16.6 (2009): 062101-16. © 2009 American Institute of Physics
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
The classical problem of the interaction of a nonemitting spherical body with a zero mean-free-path continuum plasma is solved numerically in the full range of physically allowed free parameters (electron Debye length to body radius ratio, ion to electron temperature ratio, and body bias), and analytically in rigorously defined asymptotic regimes (weak and strong bias, weak and strong shielding, thin and thick sheath). Results include current-voltage characteristics as well as floating potential and capacitance, for both continuum and collisionless electrons. Our numerical computations show that for most combinations of physical parameters, there exists a closest asymptotic regime whose analytic solutions are accurate to 15% or better.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Plasma Science and Fusion Center
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Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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DOI of Published Version
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3143038
