INTERACTION OF WEST FORD NEEDLES WITH THE EARTH'S MAGNETOSPHERE
Abstract
The proposed West Ford experiment envisages the creation of a belt of orbiting dipoles for communica ion purposes. Because of the large areato-mass ratio of the needles the perturbing effects of radia ion pressure are of great importance. It is argued here that th needles will acquire an electric charge, nd that p rturbation due to Coulomb drag and Lorentz force cannot be neglected. Coulomb drag will l ad o a much more rapid shrinkage of the orbit than ordinary drag; their effect are tabulated. Finally, a modification of the West Ford experimen is suggest d which could separate the perturbing effects; his would lead to a direct exp ri ental determination of the parameters which enter into the theory of the interaction of small particles with the magnetosphere (the region, from the ionosphere out to about 10 earth radii, where t e geom gnetic field is a controlling factor). (Au hor)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0263649
Entities
People
- S.f. Singer
Organizations
- University of Maryland