Investigation of transient processes in a plasma in the vicinity of a spacecraft with variable negative charge
Abstract
The paper presents a theoretical-model study of the plasma dynamics around a spacecraft injecting an ion beam into the ionosphere at the initial stage of an active ionospheric experiment. It is shown that the appearance of negative charge on the spacecraft leads to long-duration oscillations of plasma density and electric fields near the spacecraft surface with plasma frequency. The dimensions of the compensatory positive layer that arises and the amplitude of electron oscillations at its boundary depend on the magnitude and rate of charge increase on the spacecraft.
- Publication:
-
Fizika Plazmy
- Pub Date:
- May 1990
- Bibcode:
- 1990FizPl..16..554P
- Keywords:
-
- Beam Injection;
- Ion Beams;
- Ionospheric Electron Density;
- Plasma Dynamics;
- Spacecraft Charging;
- Transient Response;
- Electron Oscillations;
- Frequency Response;
- Negative Ions;
- Plasma Density;
- Space Charge;
- Surface Ionization;
- Plasma Physics