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Solar Cycle Dependence Of Spacecraft Charging In Low Earth Orbit, T. B. Frooninckx, Jan Josef Sojka

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Recent experimental evidence has shown that Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) polar orbiting spacecraft at 840 km can develop electric potentials as severe as −1430 V while at high magnetic latitudes. To explore this charging region, an analysis of DMSP F6, F7, F8, and F9 satellite precipitating particle and ambient plasma measurements taken during periods of high, medium, and low solar flux is performed. One hundred eighty-four charging events ranging from −46 to −1430 V are identified, and an extreme solar cycle dependence is found as charging is most frequent and severe during solar minimum. Satellite measurements and time-dependent ionospheric …