Three-Dimensional Particle-In-Cell Simulations on Active Mitigation of Spacecraft Charging in the Earth's Polar Region
Abstract
We focus on the mitigation process of absolute and differential charging of spacecraft in the polar environment by plasma release from the spacecraft surface. In the presence of aurora electron beam, the absolute charging of spacecraft sometimes becomes the order of KeV at the worst case and the differential charging between the conducting surface of the spacecraft and the dielectric material on the solar panel can become several hundred volts. To avoid the discharge due to the differential charging at the solar panel, plasma release from a plasma contactor onboard the spacecraft is proposed as one of the effective methods. In the current study, we performed three-dimensional Particle-In-Cell simulations to examine the situation of spacecraft charging and its mitigation process by plasma release from the spacecraft surface. To mitigate the absolute charging, we showed the electron release is effective. The released electrons are accelerated away from the spacecraft by the intense electric field induced in the ion sheath at the spacecraft surface. As to the mitigation of differential voltage at the solar panel surface, we showed that ion release in addition to electrons from the contactor is effective. The released ions can neutralize the charges locally accumulated on the dielectric surface. Their dynamics including gyromotion with respect to the geomagnetic field and acceleration along the geomagnetic field can perturb the field and plasma environment in the spacecraft region.
- Publication:
-
American Institute of Physics Conference Series
- Pub Date:
- December 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3076598
- Bibcode:
- 2008AIPC.1084..877U
- Keywords:
-
- 02.70.Uu;
- 94.05.Jq;
- 77.84.-s;
- Applications of Monte Carlo methods;
- Spacecraft sheaths wakes and charging;
- Dielectric piezoelectric ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials