Modelling spacecraft illumination and the effect of specular, diffuse and multiple reflection on photoelectron emission

摘要

Emission of photoelectrons by the sunlit surfaces of a spacecraft directly affects the spacecraft potential and the plasma environment of the spacecraft. The illumination of the spacecraft is normally calculated within the spacecraft-plasma interaction simulation and typically only includes direct illumination and coarse shadowing effects. An approach is presented that can be used to accurately model the illumination of the spacecraft and thus the photoelectric effect and its effect on the total charging of the spacecraft.