Numerical simulations of a magnetically shielded Hall effect thruster with a centrally
mounted cathode are performed with an axisymmetric hybrid particle-in-cell/fluid code and
are partially validated with experimental data. A full description of the plasma discharge
inside the thruster chamber and in the near plume is presented and discussed, with the aim
of highlighting those features most dependent on the magnetic configuration and the central
cathode. Compared to traditional magnetic configurations, the acceleration region is mainly …