Propagation of charge-neutral beams in space - Modifications when negative ions are present

Two-dimensional (three velocity component) electrostatic simulations are used to investigate the properties of a charge-neutral beam consisting of H(+), H(-), and electrons which will be used in the Beams on Rockets (BEAR) experiment to be launched in late 1987 or early 1988. For cross-field injection and beam densities much greater than the ambient plasma density, the beam splits into two approximately charge-neutral beams: a H(+)-e(-) beam that propagates down the field lines and a H(+)-H(-) beam that propagates at nearly the initial beam velocity on time scales less than the ion gyroperiod. Because of this splitting, space-charge oscillations are induced in the H(+)-H(-) component, which lead to its breakup. At lower beam densities, particularly when the beam electron density is less than about the density of the ambient plasma, the ambient plasma response reduces the space-charge fields as the beam splits and the space-charge oscillations are suppressed.