Interaction of a plasma source with an ambient plasma

Summary Plasma sources are used to control spacecraft potential and, in general, to improve the electrical contact between a charged body and the space plasma. In the present paper we address the problem of the interaction of a plasma source with the ambient plasma. The source is supposed to be positively charged with respect to the ambient. A self-consistent collisionless one-dimensional fluid model is sketched and some of the results obtained are then presented and discussed. Paper presented at the V Cosmic Physics National Conference, S. Miniato, November 27–30, 1990.