Our Understanding of Space Weather features responsible for geostationary satellite anamolies (P39)

Details Our Understanding of Space Weather features responsible for geostationary satellite anamolies (P39) Our Understanding of Space Weather features responsible for geostationary satellite anamolies (P39)

Nov 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006ihy..worke.131r&link_type=abstract

2nd UN/NASA Workshop on International Heliophysical Year and Basic Space Science. Proceedings of the conference held 27 Novembe

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Scientific paper

girija60@yahoo.com The topic of space weather effects on operational anomalies on spacecraft is one of considerable research investigation, with both pure and applied aspects. This is because of the very high costs involved in fabricating and operating spacecraft, and in insuring them against the harmful effects of space weather. This is more true for geostationary satellites than of low-orbiting spacecraft, as the former operate in the high-risk environment of the Earth’s outer radiation belts, with its large vagaries in spatial and time variations of high- energy electron and proton distributions (BAKER 2003). Without doubt, plasma and magnetic field emissions from active regions on the Sun are the root cause for spacecraft anomalies. Our study for 2005 shows that over 95% of anomalies can be related to some definite activity on the Sun, ranging from high-speed solar wind streams with their 27-day recurrence patterns/coronal holes/coronal mass ejections preceded by X or M type of flares/and magnetic cloud events. The most energetic solar activity events are generally accompanied by a large rise in solar MeV proton densities at geo-stationary orbit (WILKINSON 1994), and they account for definite anomalies classified as SEU (Single Event Upsets which most often are reversible through resetting commands). Any particles in the low energy ranges (eV and keV, and these could be of magnetospheric or ionospheric origin), are believed to cause external charging effects in exposed parts of the spacecraft such as solar power arrays and power cables. These mainly result in power losses which are debilitating over a period of time. The most dangerous and often irrecoverable damage is due to electronics in the 1-5 MeV range which cause deep dielectric discharge of arc type in semi-conductors comprising spacecraft instruments. Following major solar activity, the populations of these rise to more than (5x103) particles/cm2.ster.sec, with large spatial and time variations (LOVE et al. 2000). When the influence of these relativistic electrons in the neighborhood of geo-stationary spacecraft builds up to values exceeding 108/cm2.ster.day, satellite anomalies invariably occur.Our study finds that these ‘Relativistic electron events’ accompanied by satellite anomalies invariably occur following sharp, well-defined shocks in the inter-planetary medium, and we are trying to understand the relationship between the two. We also notice that anomalies due to space weather effects are very satellite-specific, with differing threshold values seen for different satellites.

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