Highly biased solar arrays are found to have a number of significant interactions with the space environment. The negatively biased parts of the array undergo enhanced ion drag and also suffer from destructive arcing. The enhanced drag suffered by highly biased solar arrays is studied with the PIC code. A new model of the drag is developed and the results are compared to recent experimental work. The drag calculations contain the effect of having the conductor surrounded by dielectrics as well as the charging of the dielectric by electrons.
Ion drag on a high negatively biased solar array
Ionenziehen an einem Solarfeld mit stark negativer Vorspannung
Space Power ; 9 , 2/3 ; 99-111
1990
13 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 5 Quellen
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Englisch