Inductive interaction of rapidly rotating conductive bodies with a magnetized plasma

This paper discusses the magnetohydrodynamic flow of a supersonic plasma fl ux around a thin conductive body. The specific features of the inductive in teraction of the body with the plasma and the process by which plasma waves are generated when the body rotates are investigated. The structure of the magnetic-field perturbations and the distribution of the plasma currents t hat result from the inductive interaction are studied. Expressions are obta ined for the forces that act on a plate and the torques produced by these f orces. A simple model is used to take into account the kinetic effects asso ciated with the finiteness of the absorption and emission currents that tra nsport charge from the plate to the plasma and back. A surface-potential di stribution is found that can substantially accelerate particles in the neig hborhood of the body. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics.