Speaker
Description
Langmuir probes are essential diagnostic instruments used in laboratory plasma experiments and space missions. While traditional Langmuir probes are limited by their sampling rate due to voltage sweeping processes, the multi-needle Langmuir probe (m-NLP) instrument has been developed to overcome this limitation, offering a higher sampling rate that is particularly advantageous for in-situ measurements in space environments. However, it is well-known that moving objects can disrupt the local plasma environment, potentially resulting in measurement errors. While the primary disturbance during experiments on instrument-carrying rockets and satellites is expected to come from the main rocket or spacecraft body, the interaction between the probes within the m-NLP instrument and the surrounding plasma can also contribute to these errors. In this study, we investigate this interaction using a three-dimensional unstructured particle-in-cell code, Pietra. Initially, we examine the wake formation behind a single Langmuir probe. Subsequently, we extend our analysis to include two probes in the simulation system to assess the effects on the collected current of the Langmuir probes in the plasma flow. This study provides valuable insights for future instrument design aimed at minimizing measurement errors in the m-NLP instrument.
