Features of EP-Jet Expansion in Low Earth Orbit

When solving the problems of dynamics in space of EP’s plasma jets, it is necessary to take into account the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field on the formation of a plasma stream (EP-electric propulsion). It is shown that under the influence of a geomagnetic field, plasma jets acquire specific three—dimensional shapes at some distance from the source, biconvex plasma petals—“corsunoids.” The strength of such influence is determined by a parameter of electromagnetic interaction—the Ampere parameter equal to a scale of the ratio of a transverse electromagnetic force to a pressure gradient.