{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/105563"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/105563","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Numerical models of Hall thruster ionization oscillations","abstract":"In this thesis, low frequency ionization oscillations in Hall thrusters resembling the breathing mode are studied through computational simulation. The relationship between wall erosion and discharge current oscillations is analyzed using particle-in-cell simulation, and a series of parametric simulations is used to determine the effects of macro-particle size, floating body potential, electron injection region, ion time step size, grid refinement, heavy particle mass reduction, and an artificial permittivity factor. These studies help to determine the parameters that will produce accurate simulations in the future, and identify the parts of the model that need improvement. One-dimensional steady and unsteady Hall thruster models, as well as a generalized sheath model are then developed, and the effects of the parameters that determine stability on the thruster's operating conditions are determined.","abstract_html":"In this thesis, low frequency ionization oscillations in Hall thrusters resembling the breathing mode are studied through computational simulation. The relationship between wall erosion and discharge current oscillations is analyzed using particle-in-cell simulation, and a series of parametric simulations is used to determine the effects of macro-particle size, floating body potential, electron injection region, ion time step size, grid refinement, heavy particle mass reduction, and an artificial permittivity factor. These studies help to determine the parameters that will produce accurate simulations in the future, and identify the parts of the model that need improvement. One-dimensional steady and unsteady Hall thruster models, as well as a generalized sheath model are then developed, and the effects of the parameters that determine stability on the thruster's operating conditions are determined.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kay, Ewan Samuel"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Manuel Mart̕nez-Sánchez."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016","date_published":"2016","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:16Z","subjects":["Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."],"rights_urls":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105563","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Manuel Mart̕nez-Sánchez."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.other","label":"Dc Contributor Other","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.","Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.","Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-143)."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In this thesis, low frequency ionization oscillations in Hall thrusters resembling the breathing mode are studied through computational simulation. The relationship between wall erosion and discharge current oscillations is analyzed using particle-in-cell simulation, and a series of parametric simulations is used to determine the effects of macro-particle size, floating body potential, electron injection region, ion time step size, grid refinement, heavy particle mass reduction, and an artificial permittivity factor. These studies help to determine the parameters that will produce accurate simulations in the future, and identify the parts of the model that need improvement. One-dimensional steady and unsteady Hall thruster models, as well as a generalized sheath model are then developed, and the effects of the parameters that determine stability on the thruster's operating conditions are determined."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["S.M."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Numerical models of Hall thruster ionization oscillations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Manuel Mart̕nez-Sánchez."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics."],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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The relationship between wall erosion and discharge current oscillations is analyzed using particle-in-cell simulation, and a series of parametric simulations is used to determine the effects of macro-particle size, floating body potential, electron injection region, ion time step size, grid refinement, heavy particle mass reduction, and an artificial permittivity factor. These studies help to determine the parameters that will produce accurate simulations in the future, and identify the parts of the model that need improvement. One-dimensional steady and unsteady Hall thruster models, as well as a generalized sheath model are then developed, and the effects of the parameters that determine stability on the thruster's operating conditions are determined."],"dc:description.degree":["S.M."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105563"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. 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