A collisional-radiative model for Xe electrical thruster

Collisional-radiative model for the Xe atom has been applied to the plasma emitted by an electrical thruster. A complete set of cross sections for the electron-atom collisions has been calculated by using the Gryzinki approach and the rate coefficients have been calculated approximating the electron energy distribution with a niaxwellian. The stationary level distributions have been studied in different conditions. The effects of non-maxwellian distributions have been investigated for hydrogen plasmas. © 2000 by G. Colonna.