L Gargaté et al 2008 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 50 074017 doi:10.1088/0741-3335/50/7/074017
L Gargaté1, R Bingham2, R A Fonseca1,3, R Bamford2, A Thornton4, K Gibson4, J Bradford2 and L O Silva1
Show affiliationsSolar energetic ions are a known hazard to both spacecraft electronics and to manned space flights in interplanetary space missions that extend over a long period of time. A dipole-like magnetic field and a plasma source, forming a mini-magnetosphere, are being tested in the laboratory as means of protection against such hazards. We investigate, via particle-in-cell hybrid simulations, using kinetic ions and fluid electrons, the characteristics of the mini-magnetospheres. Our results, for parameters identical to the experimental conditions, reveal the formation of a mini-magnetosphere, whose features are scanned with respect to the plasma density, the plasma flow velocity and the intensity of the dipole field. Comparisons with a simplified theoretical model reveal a good qualitative agreement and excellent quantitative agreement for higher plasma dynamic pressures and lower B-fields.
52.72.+v Laboratory studies of space- and astrophysical-plasma processes
Issue 7 (July 2008)
Received 26 October 2007, in final form 21 January 2008
Published 4 June 2008
L Gargaté et al 2008 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 50 074017
Juhua Chen and Yongjiu Wang 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 3897
Pei-I Wang et al 2004 Nanotechnology 15 218
P K Shukla et al 2004 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 46 B349
Giulia Galli and Francois Gygi 2005 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 16 220
H Casini 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 2509
Luis J Garay and Guillermo A Mena Marugán 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 L115
J E Pask and P A Sterne 2005 Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 13 R71
Neil J Cornish and Janna Levin 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 1649
Fotini Markopoulou 2003 Class. Quantum Grav. 20 777