The One-dimensional Time-dependent Interaction of a Satellite with the Ionospheric Plasma PDF Download

Author: Nobie H. Stone
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Artificial satellites
Languages : en
Pages : 52

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Book Description
A theoretical study and numerical solution are presented for the one-dimensional, time-dependent problem of a streaming, nonuniform, fully ionized, collisionless plasma impinging upon a stationary, flat conducting plate oriented perpendicularly to the flow of the plasma. The problem is intended to model the interaction of the frontal surface of a satellite with the ionospheric plasma. The time-dependent equations that describe the one-dimensional problem are established, and from them the steady-state equations are derived. These steady-state equations are solved for the spatial dependence of the electric field, which is seen to be a reasonable form and to agree with previous work on more complicated configurations. Finally, a numerical method of solving the time-dependent equations is presented and applied to two special cases: (1) for a plate that has no initial charge, and (2) for a system that is initially in an equilibrium state and proceeds to a second equilibrium state because of a step transition in the plasma parameters.