arXiv Open Access 2023

Spacecraft floating potential measurements for the $\mathit{Wind}$ spacecraft

L. B. Wilson C. S. Salem J. W. Bonnell
Lihat Sumber

Abstrak

Analysis of 8,804,545 electron velocity distribution functions (VDFs), observed by the $\mathit{Wind}$ spacecraft near 1 AU between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2022, was performed to determine the spacecraft floating potential, $φ{\scriptstyle_{sc}}$. $\mathit{Wind}$ was designed to be electrostatically clean, which helps keep the magnitude of $φ{\scriptstyle_{sc}}$ small (i.e., $\sim$5--9 eV for nearly all intervals) and the potential distribution more uniform. We observed spectral enhancements of $φ{\scriptstyle_{sc}}$ at frequencies corresponding to the inverse synodic Carrington rotation period with at least three harmonics. The 2D histogram of $φ{\scriptstyle_{sc}}$ versus time also shows at least two strong peaks with a potential third, much weaker peak. These peaks vary in time with the intensity correlated with solar maximum. Thus, the spectral peaks and histogram peaks are likely due to macroscopic phenomena like coronal mass ejections (solar cycle dependence) and stream interaction regions (Carrington rotation dependence). The values of $φ{\scriptstyle_{sc}}$ are summarized herein and the resulting dataset is discussed.

Penulis (3)

L

L. B. Wilson

C

C. S. Salem

J

J. W. Bonnell

Format Sitasi

Wilson, L.B., Salem, C.S., Bonnell, J.W. (2023). Spacecraft floating potential measurements for the $\mathit{Wind}$ spacecraft. https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.11626

Akses Cepat

Lihat di Sumber
Informasi Jurnal
Tahun Terbit
2023
Bahasa
en
Sumber Database
arXiv
Akses
Open Access ✓