Injections of nonrelativistic electron beams from an infinite conductor have been simulated by using a two-dimensional electrostatic particle code to study the spacecraft charging potential. The simulations show that the conductor charging potential at the end of simulations does not vary with the beam density when the beam density exceeds four times the ambient density. The reflection coefficient, which determines a percentage of incident electrons reflected by the conductor, increases the charging potential. To charge the conductor to the beam energy, the reflection coefficient needs to be about 0.5. The results are applied to explain the spacecraft charging potential measured during the SEPAC (Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators) experiments from Spacelab 1.


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    Title :

    Spacecraft charging potential during electron-beam injections into space plasmas


    Additional title:

    Das Aufladungspotential eines Raumfahrzeugs waehrend der Elektronenstrahlinjektionen in Weltraumplasmen


    Contributors:
    Lin, C.S. (author) / Koga, J. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1989


    Size :

    5 Seiten, 14 Quellen



    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English





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