Characteristics of Spontaneous Electrical Discharging of Various Insulators inSpace Radiations

摘要

Sixteen samples of standard insulating materials with electrodes were exposed tothe full variety of the Earth's space radiation belts for 14 months. Spontaneous discharges were recorded for each sample and are compared to the radiation levels which were simultaneously monitored. Samples with the most exposed insulator surface pulse most frequently. Pulsing correlated with electron flux, but not at all with proton flux. The pulse rate per unit electron flux was initially small, rose continuously for 7 months, and then fell slightly during the last seven months. A computer model predicts the charging of the insulators by the high energy electron flux, It took 1 to 6 months for the electric fields to approach steady state levels. Most of the pulses were less than 50 volts on 50 ohms. The pulsing rate decays when the satellite leaves the electron belts; the decay became more rapid after 7 months. Pulsing during the first six months had different characteristics than later pulsing.... Electrical, Discharging, Radiation, Insulating.