SECONDARY ELECTRON EMISSION FROM SATELLITE SURFACES
Abstract
The relevance of secondary electron emission to the charge accumulation and production of electron sheaths around satellites is reviewed as a function of altitude and ambient conditions. It is found that for values of lambda greater than 0.0001, secondary electron emission can make an important contribution to these processes for altitudes below 250 km. Here lambda is the coefficient of secondary electron emission in terms of electrons emitted per incident neutral particle. If photoelectric processes are considered, then for quantum yields greater than 0.01 and photon fluxes greater than 1 microwatt sq. cm, satellite surface charge will go positive in an ambient ionized medium where the electron density is less than 1000. This corresponds to altitudes greater than 1000 km. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 17, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0274799
Entities
People
- D.b. Medved
Organizations
- General Dynamics