[Archive] How to set sourcedt properly?

Message by Mehmet Balta:
Hello,
For finding the electrondt and iondt or populationdt’s we use the formula: 0.2xpix2/w. How would you set the sourcedt for source ions(Xe, Xe++, etc.) when you analyze the thruster plume ?
Thank you,
Best Regards,
Mehmet

Message by Jean-Charles Mateo-Velez:
Hi,
sourceDt is calculated to have = L / velocity, where L is a typical length, i.e the spacecraft. If the density is very large and space charge effect important, you need to solve at dt = 0.2xpix2/w where w is nw linked to source density.
Jean-Charles

Message by Mehmet Balta:
Thank you,
However, as far as I found out, it is a bit complicated and I had to write a matlab code to tune parameters such as sourcedt, sourcespeedup, plasmadt, densification and number of triangles on the ejecting surface tuned wrt plume physics.
Regards,
Mehmet