PIC simulations on spacecraft-environment interaction
Abstract
We examined interactions between spacecraft and the plasma environment by performing PIC (Particle-In-Cell) simulations. We particularly focus on the spacecraft charging and its neutralization by a dense plasma emission. In a two-dimensional simulation space, a conducting body representing a spacecraft is immersed in a magnetized plasma. In an isothermal plasma such as in the ionosphere, the body becomes negatively charged with respect to the space potential due to large thermal velocity of electrons. In order to neutralize the negative charging of the body, we continuously emit a dense plasma from the body which is assumed to be created by a plasma contactor. We particularly examined the electron/ion flux to the charged body and the corresponding potential variation. It is shown that the negatively charged body is neutralized mainly by the enhancement of ion flux of the emitted plasma. As the potential approaches the space potential, the ion current to the body decreases and the net current to the body becomes zero. In the transient process of the charge neutralization, we could see very turbulent current variation at the emitted plasma cloud region, which may cause electromagenetic perturbation in the vicinity of the body.
- Publication:
-
Space Plasma Simulation
- Pub Date:
- 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001sps..proc..164U