MEASUREMENT OF THE LOCAL ELECTRON TEMPERATURE IN SELF-COMPRESSED PLASMA STREAM

The local electron temperature measurements with the double electric probe in the compression zone are presented. Electric probes make it possible to measure the electron temperature with a reasonably good spatial resolution. Double electric probe application for electron temperature measurements in the dense self-compressed plasma stream is discussed. We have shown experimentally that the electric probe operates in a diffusion regime.

FORESAIL-1 and ESTCube-2 Cubesat experiments of Coulomb drag propulsion

<p>Coulomb drag propulsion taps momentum from a natural plasma stream to generate propellantless low-thrust propulsion for a spacecraft. The plasma is attached to by means of a long, thin, charged metallic tether. The tether's electrostatic field deflects the motion of streaming plasma ions and transfers momentum from them. The technique can be applied in the solar wind (i.e., outside Earth's magnetosphere) to produce general-purpose interplanetar propulsion. This application is called the electric solar wind sail (E-sail). It can also be applied in low Earth orbit (LEO) to brake the satellite's orbital motion. Here the relevant plasma stream is the ram flow of the ionosphere due to the satellite's orbital motion. This application is called the plasma brake and it is useful for satellite deorbiting for mitigating the growing problem of orbital debris.</p> <p>Here we report on progress of two CubeSat missions (FORESAIL-1 and ESTCube-2) that are under construction for measuring the Coulomb drag effect in LEO.  Both are scheduled to fly in 2022. Both satellites deploy up to 300 m long tether, charge it up by a high-voltage source and measure the resulting Coulomb drag. The satellites are slowly spinning and the tether is tightened by the centrifugal force. The tether is deployed from a reel which is rotated slowly by an electric motor.  Both satellites use negative tether polarity, which is the case relevant for the plasma brake. ESTCube-2 contains, in addition, a positive mode experiment which is relevant for the E-sail. The plasma environment in LEO differs from the solar wind, so the measured positive mode Coulomb drag must be scaled to yield a prediction of the strength of the E-sail effect in the solar wind.</p> <p>The Coulomb drag is measured by two independent methods. In the first method we set the tether voltage on and off in sync with the satellite's rotation and thereby accumulate a change of the system's angular momentum. The Coulomb drag is inferred from the measured change of the spin rate per time unit. In the second method we estimate Coulomb drag from the speeded-up lowering of the satelllite's orbital altitude.</p> <p>The presentation is a status report of the technical progress of these two Coulomb drag CubeSat missions; FORESAIL-1 and ESTCube-2.</p>

Inferring possible magnetic field strength of accreting inflows in EXor-type objects from scaled laboratory experiments

Aims. EXor-type objects are protostars that display powerful UV-optical outbursts caused by intermittent and powerful events of magnetospheric accretion. These objects are not yet well investigated and are quite difficult to characterize. Several parameters, such as plasma stream velocities, characteristic densities, and temperatures, can be retrieved from present observations. As of yet, however, there is no information about the magnetic field values and the exact underlying accretion scenario is also under discussion. Methods. We use laboratory plasmas, created by a high power laser impacting a solid target or by a plasma gun injector, and make these plasmas propagate perpendicularly to a strong external magnetic field. The propagating plasmas are found to be well scaled to the presently inferred parameters of EXor-type accretion event, thus allowing us to study the behaviour of such episodic accretion processes in scaled conditions. Results. We propose a scenario of additional matter accretion in the equatorial plane, which claims to explain the increased accretion rates of the EXor objects, supported by the experimental demonstration of effective plasma propagation across the magnetic field. In particular, our laboratory investigation allows us to determine that the field strength in the accretion stream of EXor objects, in a position intermediate between the truncation radius and the stellar surface, should be of the order of 100 G. This, in turn, suggests a field strength of a few kilogausses on the stellar surface, which is similar to values inferred from observations of classical T Tauri stars.

Long-pulse plasma source for SMOLA helical mirror

A plasma gun for forming a plasma stream in the open magnetic mirror trap with additional helicoidal field SMOLA is described. The plasma gun is an axisymmetric system with a planar circular hot cathode based on lanthanum hexaboride and a hollow copper anode. The two planar coils are located around the plasma source and create a magnetic field of up to 200 mT. The magnetic field forms the magnetron configuration of the discharge and provides a radial electric insulation. The source typically operates with a discharge current of up to 350 A in hydrogen. Plasma parameters in the SMOLA device are Ti ~ 5 eV, Te ~ 5–40 eV and ni ~ (0.1–1) × 1019 m−3. Helium plasma can also be created. The plasma properties depend on the whole group of initial technical parameters: the cathode temperature, the feeding gas flow, the anode-cathode supply voltage and the magnitude of the cathode magnetic insulation.

PARAMETERS OF HYDROGEN PLASMA STREAMS IN QSPA-M AND THEIR DEPENDENCE ON EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD

Present experimental studies are aimed at analysis of hydrogen plasma stream parameters in various working regimes of QSPA-M operation. Temporal distributions of plasma electron density are reconstructed with optical emission spectroscopy. The magnetic field influence on plasma streams parameters is analyzed. It is shown that in regimes with additional magnetic field the plasma electron density increases by an order of magnitude in comparison with a density value without magnetic field. The plasma velocity and energy density parameters as well as their temporal behaviors were estimatedin different operating regimes of QSPA-M facility. Features of plasma visible radiation were analyzed. This information is important for QSPA-M applications in experiments on interaction of powerful plasma streams with material surfaces.

INFLUENCE OF LONGITUDINAL MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE MPC CHANNEL ON THE DENSITY OF GENERATED PLASMA STREAM

The paper is devoted to experimental measurements and analysis of parameters of the plasma streams generated by magnetoplasma compressor (MPC) upgraded with an external axial magnetic field. Influence of the external axial magnetic field of 0.24 T on helium plasma streams (P=2 Torr) has been studied. The measurements of average electron density distributions were performedboth with and without an external axial B-field. Distributions of plasma electron density Ne (L) were measured with spectroscopy in the plasma stream and in the compression zone using Stark broadening of He I and He II spectral lines. Plasma-surface interaction processes were also analyzed.