IDEALIZED SHEATH THEORY AND SATELLITE CHARGE-UP IN THE VAN ALLEN REGION

Abstract

As an aid in the determination of the electric potential of naturally charged satellites, the concept of the idealized sheath introduced by Langmuir and Mott-Smith is studied in some detail through the use of distribution functions. It is shown that the functions are discontinuous in velocity variables and lead to the same results as particle trajectory theory. The limitations of the sheath theory and its connection with space-charge-limited diode theory are discussed. It is shown that, under certain assumptions, the potential on a satellite whose diameter is smaller than the local Debye length will reach 3500 volts negative in the more intense regions of the Van Allen electron belt. The equilibrium potential decreases with increasing size of the satellite, with a limiting value of -35,000 volts for satellites much greater than the Debye length in diameter.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0274599

Entities

People

  • G. E. Modesitt

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Angular Momentum
  • Boltzmann Equation
  • Charge Density
  • Corpuscular Radiation
  • Distribution Functions
  • Electron Density
  • Electron Flux
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • High Energy
  • Radial Velocity
  • Radiation
  • Space Charge
  • Spacecraft
  • Trajectories
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Orbital Debris