About the Parametric Interplay between Ionic Mach Number, Body-Size and Satellite Potential in Determining the Ion Depletion in the Wake of the S3-2 Satellite

摘要

Experimental tests of assumptions used in various wake models are practically complicated since most of the available in-situ measurements were made by flush-mounted probes, hence the measurements are confined to the very near vicinity of the bodies. The results presented in this paper are subject to the same limitation. Since the self-consistent numerical solution to the problem of body-plasma interaction (for realistic situations in space) is difficult, it seems that parametric and theory-experiment investigation, limited and imperfect as they may be, can contribute significantly to a better physical understanding of the interactions. The present investigation is aimed at presenting and discussing some experimental results which are useful to some scientific aspects of satellite-ionosphere interactions, as well as to technological/application aspects. In particular to the planning of future experiments of body-plasma electrodynamic interactions in a supersonic and subAlfvenic flow regime to be conducted on board the Shuttle/Spacelab and via the utilization of subsatellites and tethered bodies. More specifically, it is expected that investigations of the kind presented here be useful: (1) in the planning of instrument location on ejectable ensembles of probes and on the orbiter itself in future shuttle missions, (2) in predicting the disturbances expected to be created by deployed tethered-balloons and other boom-mounted bodies in future shuttle missions and (3) in testing theoretical wake models.