Results from active spacecraft potential control on the Geotail spacecraft

1995 ◽  
Vol 100 (A9) ◽  
pp. 17253 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Schmidt ◽  
H. Arends ◽  
A. Pedersen ◽  
F. Rüdenauer ◽  
M. Fehringer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential

Spacecraft Potential Control

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Mandell ◽  
V. A. Davis ◽  
B. M. Gardner ◽  
J. M. Hilton ◽  
I. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential

scholarly journals Cluster PEACE observations of electrons of spacecraft origin

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (10/12) ◽  
pp. 1721-1730 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Szita ◽  
A. N. Fazakerley ◽  
P. J. Carter ◽  
A. M. James ◽  
P. Trávnícek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Plasma Electron ◽  
Electron Velocity ◽  
Lunar Eclipse ◽  
Arrival Direction ◽  
Electron Velocity Distribution ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential ◽  
Solar Uv ◽  
Gradient Change

Abstract. The two PEACE (Plasma Electron And Current Experiment) sensors on board each Cluster spacecraft sample the electron velocity distribution across the full 4<pi> solid angle and the energy range 0.7 eV to 26 keV with a time resolution of 4 s. We present high energy and angular resolution 3D observations of electrons of spacecraft origin in the various environments encountered by the Cluster constellation, including a lunar eclipse interval where the spacecraft potential was reduced but remained positive, and periods of ASPOC (Active Spacecraft POtential Control) operation which reduced the spacecraft potential. We demonstrate how the spacecraft potential may be found from a gradient change in the PEACE low energy spectrum, and show how the observed spacecraft electrons are confined by the spacecraft potential. We identify an intense component of the spacecraft electrons with energies equivalent to the spacecraft potential, the arrival direction of which is seen to change when ASPOC is switched on. Another spacecraft electron component, observed in the sunward direction, is reduced in the eclipse but unaffected by ASPOC, and we believe this component is produced in the analyser by solar UV. We find that PEACE anodes with a look direction along the spacecraft surfaces are more susceptible to spacecraft electron contamination than those which look perpendicular to the surface, which justifies the decision to mount PEACE with its field-of-view radially outward rather than tangentially.Key words. Magnetosheric physics (general or miscellaneous) Space plasma physics (spacecraft sheaths, wakes, charging)

Multi-Needle Langmuir Probe System for Electron Density Measurements and Active Spacecraft Potential Control on CubeSats

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 2951-2964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Andre Bekkeng ◽  
Espen Sorlie Helgeby ◽  
Arne Pedersen ◽  
Espen Trondsen ◽  
Torfinn Lindem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Langmuir Probe ◽  
Density Measurements ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential ◽  
Probe System

scholarly journals Electric field measurements on Cluster: comparing the double-probe and electron drift techniques

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 275-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. I. Eriksson ◽  
M. André ◽  
B. Klecker ◽  
H. Laakso ◽  
P.-A. Lindqvist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Cold Plasma ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Electron Drift ◽  
Double Probe ◽  
Flow Energy ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential

Abstract. The four Cluster satellites each carry two instruments designed for measuring the electric field: a double-probe instrument (EFW) and an electron drift instrument (EDI). We compare data from the two instruments in a representative sample of plasma regions. The complementary merits and weaknesses of the two techniques are illustrated. EDI operations are confined to regions of magnetic fields above 30 nT and where wave activity and keV electron fluxes are not too high, while EFW can provide data everywhere, and can go far higher in sampling frequency than EDI. On the other hand, the EDI technique is immune to variations in the low energy plasma, while EFW sometimes detects significant nongeophysical electric fields, particularly in regions with drifting plasma, with ion energy (in eV) below the spacecraft potential (in volts). We show that the polar cap is a particularly intricate region for the double-probe technique, where large nongeophysical fields regularly contaminate EFW measurments of the DC electric field. We present a model explaining this in terms of enhanced cold plasma wake effects appearing when the ion flow energy is higher than the thermal energy but below the spacecraft potential multiplied by the ion charge. We suggest that these conditions, which are typical of the polar wind and occur sporadically in other regions containing a significant low energy ion population, cause a large cold plasma wake behind the spacecraft, resulting in spurious electric fields in EFW data. This interpretation is supported by an analysis of the direction of the spurious electric field, and by showing that use of active potential control alleviates the situation.

Spacecraft Potential Control by the Plasma Source Instrument on the POLAR Satellite

1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 845-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Comfort ◽  
T. E. Moore ◽  
P. D. Craven ◽  
C. J. Pollock ◽  
F. S. Mozer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Source ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential ◽  
Polar Satellite

Recent experience with spacecraft potential control

1999 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1033-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Torkar ◽  
M. Fehringer ◽  
C.P. Escoubet ◽  
B.T. Narheim ◽  
Yu.I. Galperin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recent Experience ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential

Active Spacecraft Potential Control Investigation

2016 ◽  
pp. 513-542
Author(s):  
K. Torkar ◽  
R. Nakamura ◽  
M. Tajmar ◽  
C. Scharlemann ◽  
H. Jeszenszky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Potential Control ◽  
Spacecraft Potential
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document