Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Feb 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001aipc..552..473c&link_type=abstract
Space Technology and Applications International Forum - 2001. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 552, pp. 473-478 (2001).
Physics
Plasma Physics
Spaceborne And Space Research Instruments, Apparatus, And Components, Electric Fields, Current System, Instrumentation For Space Plasma Physics, Ionosphere, And Magnetosphere, Artificial Earth Satellites
Scientific paper
Tether electron current collection in the Orbital Motion Limited regime is one of the limiting factors in power and thrust generation applications of electrodynamic tethers. Injection of radio frequency power along tethers is considered in order to enhance electron current collection. As a basic assessment tool, Particle-In-Cell modeling of the tether system is performed using a 1-d cylindrical code. Comparison of test electron trajectories shows that the time periodic field distribution created by the RF excitation results in electrons being scattered off their usual OML trajectories, which under some conditions increases their probability of being collected by the tether. Analysis of simulation results reveals that large current enhancements can occur at resonance frequencies of the input reactance (where Xin=0), but at the expense of high RF power. Current enhancement is best measured in terms of the relative current variation per unit of RF power dissipated for every 1-meter section of the tether. Optimum enhancements of about 9% per RF watt per meter were obtained by simulation at low frequencies (75 MHz). Similar enhancements were observed during experimental measurements on tether samples. .
Bilen Sven G.
Choinière Éric
Gilchrist Brian E.
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