DSMC Implementation of Experimentally-Based Xe+ + Xe Differential Cross Sections for Electric Propulsion Modeling
Abstract
Published differential cross section data for heavy particle collisions between xenon ions and neutral xenon has been incorporated into plasma simulations for electric propulsion modeling. A fit has been made to the published data in order to estimate the relative contribution from charge exchange and elastic collisions and to reduce the computational cost of utilizing the differential cross section in existing numerical models. Since the published profiles do not include scattering data near 0 degrees, the differential cross section was assumed to be constant at low angles. The angle at which the differential cross section was assumed to transition from the constant profile to the fit was chosen such that the differential cross section integrated to the published total cross section value for xenon scattering. In order to make the resulting differential scattering curve generally applicable to other types of collisions with dissimilar collision partners, the profile was converted from the laboratory frame into center of mass coordinates. Each time a scattering event was determined to take place in the electric propulsion modeling codes, a scattering angle of the incident particle was chosen using a cumulative distribution function. The behavior of the target particle was determined using conservation of energy and momentum.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 08, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA522798
Entities
People
- Gregory Azarnia
- Justin Koo
- Michelle K. Scharfe
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory