Glow discharge in external magnetic field in hypersonic flow of rarefied gas

A two-dimensional computational model is used to investigate the gasdynamic structure of a rarefied (pressure of several torr) hypersonic flow of molecular nitrogen in a plane channel, with a glow discharge maintained between two surfaces of this channel. An asymmetric configuration of electrodes is considered, namely, the cathode is a narrow strip located on the lower surface of the channel, and the upper surface of the channel is a continuous anode. The fundamental possibility is studied of using an external magnetic field transverse to the flow for modifying the shock-wave structure of flow in the channel.