Title :
Transient phenomena induced by discharge on solar array in low Earth orbit plasma environment
Author :
Cho, Mengu ; Hikita, Masayuki ; Tanaka, Koji ; Sasaki, Susumu
Author_Institution :
Kyushu Inst. of Technol., Kitakyushu, Japan
Abstract :
A laboratory experiment is carried out to investigate the plasma response to the discharge on solar array in simulated low Earth orbit plasma environment. Once a discharge occurs, the discharge point and remotely located insulator surface is connected by a dense plasma. The charge stored on the insulator surface is provided as the discharge current. The measurement by a moving probe revealed that there is electric field between the discharged array and the insulator
Keywords :
Langmuir probes; electric fields; insulators; ionospheric disturbances; plasma sheaths; solar cell arrays; space vehicle power plants; transients; capacitance; dense plasma; discharge current; discharged array; electric field; induced transient phenomena; insulator surface; low Earth orbit plasma environment; moving probe; plasma response; plasma sheath; remotely located insulator surface; solar array discharge; Electric variables measurement; Extraterrestrial measurements; Fault location; Insulation; Low earth orbit satellites; Plasma density; Plasma measurements; Plasma simulation; Probes; Surface discharges;
Conference_Titel :
Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum, 2000. Proceedings. ISDEIV. XIXth International Symposium on
Conference_Location :
Xi´an
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5791-4
DOI :
10.1109/DEIV.2000.879086