skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: High-level spacecraft charging in the low-altitude polar auroral environment

Abstract

Regions of intense keV-electron precipitation, such as inverted-V structures, at times colocate with ionospheric-plasma depletion regions in the high-latitude polar ionosphere. When Defense Meterological Satellite Program (DMSP) F6 and F7 satellites, at 840 km, enter these regions in darkness, ion signatures of high spacecraft-to-ambient plasma potential differences(several hundred volts negative) are observed with the new SSJ/4 ion detectors. A systematic survey of charging events and the environment in which they occur was made using the DMSP F 6 and 7 precipitating ion and electron detectors, the SSIE thermal plasma probes, and the SSM(F7 only) vector magnetometer. The charging events of November 26, 1983, are analyzed in detail since they occurred on both satellites. Critical levels of number flux and average energy for the precipitating electrons, and the threshold density of the thermal ionospheric ions are defined for different levels of spacecraft charging.

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5893194
Report Number(s):
AD-A-162145/7/XAB; AFGL-TR-85-0291
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; AURORAE; CHARGED PARTICLES; IONOSPHERE; ELECTRON PRECIPITATION; POLAR REGIONS; SATELLITES; ELECTRIC CHARGES; ELECTRON PROBES; IONS; MAGNETOMETERS; SURVEYS; CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; PLANETARY IONOSPHERES; PROBES; 640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral, Ionospheric, & Magetospheric Phenomena

Citation Formats

Gussenhoven, M S, Hardy, D A, Rich, F, Burke, W J, and Yeh, H C. High-level spacecraft charging in the low-altitude polar auroral environment. United States: N. p., 1985. Web.
Gussenhoven, M S, Hardy, D A, Rich, F, Burke, W J, & Yeh, H C. High-level spacecraft charging in the low-altitude polar auroral environment. United States.
Gussenhoven, M S, Hardy, D A, Rich, F, Burke, W J, and Yeh, H C. 1985. "High-level spacecraft charging in the low-altitude polar auroral environment". United States.
@article{osti_5893194,
title = {High-level spacecraft charging in the low-altitude polar auroral environment},
author = {Gussenhoven, M S and Hardy, D A and Rich, F and Burke, W J and Yeh, H C},
abstractNote = {Regions of intense keV-electron precipitation, such as inverted-V structures, at times colocate with ionospheric-plasma depletion regions in the high-latitude polar ionosphere. When Defense Meterological Satellite Program (DMSP) F6 and F7 satellites, at 840 km, enter these regions in darkness, ion signatures of high spacecraft-to-ambient plasma potential differences(several hundred volts negative) are observed with the new SSJ/4 ion detectors. A systematic survey of charging events and the environment in which they occur was made using the DMSP F 6 and 7 precipitating ion and electron detectors, the SSIE thermal plasma probes, and the SSM(F7 only) vector magnetometer. The charging events of November 26, 1983, are analyzed in detail since they occurred on both satellites. Critical levels of number flux and average energy for the precipitating electrons, and the threshold density of the thermal ionospheric ions are defined for different levels of spacecraft charging.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5893194}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1985},
month = {Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1985}
}

Technical Report:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that may hold this item. Keep in mind that many technical reports are not cataloged in WorldCat.

Save / Share: