A Proposed Gas Release Experiment on the ARGOS Satellite
Abstract
Release of xenon and carbon dioxide gases from nozzles on the Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS) orbiting with a velocity of about 7.4 km/s at an altitude of about 800 km is proposed. The releases will be conducted mostly in darkness over the Maui telescope site. The vector sum of the satellite and gas velocities will exceed the velocity requirement for the critical ionization velocity (CIV) process of xenon. It is feasible that the xenon gas will achieve critical velocity ionization. Associative ionization and collisional stripping will not occur for the xenon gas and there is no photo-ionization in darkness; ionization processes competing with CIV are absent. Neutral density, ambient magnetic field, and seed ionization effects on the xenon gas CIV will be discussed. Unlike xenon, carbon dioxide will not undergo CIV because of its higher velocity requirement. However, it is feasible that carbon dioxide colliding with the atmospheric species will form excited CO and OH molecules, which will radiate subsequently. Optical, IR, and UV observations on the satellite and at Maui will provide diagnostic measurements for the experiment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 29, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA256182
Entities
People
- C. P. Pike
- Edmond Murad
- Shu T. Lai
Organizations
- Phillips Laboratory