Ion collection by oblique surfaces of an object in a transversely-flowing strongly-magnetized plasma
arXiv:0801.0309 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.035004
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.
Four pages, 2 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters