Current limiting mechanisms in electron and ion beams experiments
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Authors
Olsen, R.C.
Subjects
current limiting mechanisms
electron experiments
ion beams experiments
electron experiments
ion beams experiments
Advisors
Date of Issue
1990
Date
Publisher
NASA
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Abstract
The emission and collection of current from satellites or rockets in the ionosphere is a process which, at equilibrium, requires a balance between inward and outward currents. In most active experiments in the ionosphere and magnetosphere, the emitted current exceeds the integrated thermal current by one or more orders of magnitude. The system response is typically for the emitted current to be limited by processes such as differential charging of insulating surfaces, interactions between an emitted beam and the local plasma, and interactions between the beam and local neutral gas. These cuirrent limiting mechanisms have been illustrated for 20 years in sounding rocket and satellite experiments, which are reviewed here. Detailed presentations of the SCATHA electron and ion gun experiments are used to demonstrate the general range of observed phenomena.
Type
Article
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Department
Physics
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Citation
NASA Conference Publication 3089, 1990, pp. 276-304