Abstract Observations of electrical charging and other phenomena have been made in the ionosphere with the CHARGE-2 tethered rocket system. In this experiment, two electrically connected payloads with a variety of plasma instruments measured effects associated with operation of a 1 keV, 40 mA electron gun and a 450 volt d.c. power supply. During electron beam operations it was found that both mother and daughter payloads reached high positive potentials as a consequence of the restricted (∼4.8 m2) electron current collecting area of the payloads. During neutral gas thruster firings the payload potentials were dramatically reduced, indicating that electrical discharges could effectively ground each payload to plasma potential. Other thruster-related effects were also seen, including substantial reductions of return current-associated electrical noise at HF and VLF and large increases in 3914 A light in the plasma sheath.


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    Title :

    Charge-2 rocket observations of vehicle charging and charge neutralization


    Contributors:
    Banks, P.M. (author) / Gilchrist, B.E. (author) / Neubert, T. (author) / Myers, N. (author) / Raitt, W.J. (author) / Williamson, P.R. (author) / Fraser-Smith, A.C. (author) / Sasaki, S. (author)

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 10 , 7 ; 133-136


    Publication date :

    1989-01-01


    Size :

    4 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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