Development of Software for the Analysis of Plasma Measurements Using the Retarding Potential Analyzer.

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to describe a relatively fast computer algorithm to estimate plasma parameters from measured ion current flow to a planar ion sensor as a function of applied potential. It was developed for the preliminary processing of data obtained by the retarding potential analyzer (RPA) flown by the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory on board the DMSP satellites and on the HILAT satellite. For a sparse set of data points, such as the HILAT data, this method estimates the drift velocity with less uncertainty than it estimates temperature.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 20, 1984
Accession Number
ADA176890

Entities

People

  • Ewa M. Basinska

Organizations

  • Regis University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Algorithms
  • Analyzers
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Buildings And Structures
  • Computers
  • Detectors
  • Geophysics
  • Measurement
  • Meteorological Satellites
  • Research Facilities
  • Uncertainty

Readers

  • Regression Analysis.
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster