One-dimensional fluid and hybrid numerical analysis of the plasma properties in the discharge channel of a Hall thruster

One-dimensional fluid and hybrid fluid-kinetic numerical codes are developed and applied to the analysis of axial distributions of plasma properties in the discharge channel of a Hall-effect thruster. Within the hybrid model ions are described by the kinetic Vlasov equation, while electrons and neutral atoms are treated as fluids. The results obtained from fluid and hybrid models are compared. Different operating regimes such as damped, periodic, and aperiodic irregular oscillations about the stationary state are observed and discussed. Thrust and efficiency of the thruster for different input parameters are estimated.