  A two-dimensional simulation is conducted to investigate the effect of
cross-field electron transport enhancement in the Hall thruster discharge
caused by the nonuniform propellant supply in azimuth. The Hall thruster
operation with azimuthally nonuniform propellant supply is expected to be a
good test case to understand the influences of azimuthal plasma property
distributions on the axial electron transport. A particle-fluid hybrid model is
developed with a two-dimensional magnetized electron fluid model incorporated
with an empirical anomalous electron mobility model. The calculation results
indicate that the azimuthal electric field is generated in the cases of
nonuniform propellant supply. The azimuthal phase shift is observed between the
ion number density and space potential at the downstream plume region. Owing to
this azimuthal out-of-phase and the azimuthal electric field, the cross-field
electron transport in the axial direction can be enhanced.
