Title :
Electrical breakdown of the space vacuum
Author :
Kunhardt, E.E. ; Popovic, S. ; Bentson, J.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys. & Eng. Phys., Stevens Inst. of Technol., Hoboken, NJ, USA
fDate :
12/1/1995 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The insulating properties of the vacuum of space are examined in this paper. Generic electrode configurations are introduced to calculate the leakage current to the electrodes and the breakdown potential of the “space-vacuum” as a function of altitude above ground. The condition that defines the breakdown threshold is dependent on the size of the sheath, rL-B, relative to the interelectrode separation, rc. Results for the leakage currents and breakdown voltage are presented for both cases rL-B>re and rL-B<re, and discussed in the context of space power systems and the SPEAR Program in particular
Keywords :
electrodes; leakage currents; plasma sheaths; vacuum breakdown; SPEAR Program; breakdown potential; breakdown threshold; electrical breakdown; generic electrode configurations; insulating properties; leakage current; sheath size; space power systems; space vacuum; Dielectric breakdown; Dielectrics and electrical insulation; Electric breakdown; Electrodes; Gas insulation; Leakage current; Power system modeling; Pulse power systems; Steady-state; Vacuum breakdown;
Journal_Title :
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on
