Numerical simulation of ion flows in the presence of magnetic and self-consistent electric fields in magnetic shielding elements

A hybrid model is used to carry out a numerical simulation of the plasma dynamics in a complex configuration consisting of magnetic and self-consistent electric fields. Fully conservative difference schemes are used to develop a set of routines which allow the steady-state plasma dynamics to be studied. This is used to model the plasma flow in the interior of the cathode θ-transformer of a quasi-steady plasma accelerator (QSPA). In particular, the role of the magnetic-field strength and the structure of the ion and electron flows in the interior of the transformer is exhibited. 16 refs., 5 figs