摘要：The main objective of this work is to present the results obtained with a computational code which solves the time dependent magnetogasdynamic equations (MGD) in one dimension. This research represents the initial stage towards achieving a comprehensive description of the ablative pulse plasma thruster (APPT) behavior. The equations that govern MGD flows are continuity, momentum, energy and magnetic induction together with a state equation. These equations have two parts: the fIrst one contains the conservation terms and is hyperbolic; the second one has the diffusive terms and is parabolic. The parabolic part of the equations is written in divergence form, so that there is a diffusive flux. The numerical technique used to solve the equations consists of an approximate Riemann solver that calculates the variables inside each cell by evaluating the flux through the contour of the cells. The TVD scheme proposed by Yee, et al. is used to evaluate the numerical flux. The "eigensystem" technique presented by Powell has also been used and eigenvectors normalization has been carried out following the works of Zarachay et a!., Roe and Balsara, and Bodgan. To check the accuracy of the computational code a Riemann problem introduced by Brio and Wu has been simulated. The obtained results are in close agreement with those reported by other authors.
