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arXiv · 0801.0309

Ion collection by oblique surfaces of an object in a transversely-flowing strongly-magnetized plasma

I. H. Hutchinson
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Abstract

The equations governing a collisionless obliquely-flowing plasma around an ion-absorbing object in a strong magnetic field are shown to have an exact analytic solution even for arbitrary (two-dimensional) object-shape, when temperature is uniform, and diffusive transport can be ignored. The solution has an extremely simple geometric embodiment. It shows that the ion collection flux density to a convex body's surface depends only upon the orientation of the surface, and provides the theoretical justification and calibration of oblique `Mach-probes'. The exponential form of this exact solution helps explain the approximate fit of this function to previous numerical solutions.

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I. H. Hutchinson. 2008-01-01. Ion collection by oblique surfaces of an object in a transversely-flowing strongly-magnetized plasma. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.101.035004

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