Neutralization of negative electric charge of a satellite by ionospheric plasma ions

The dynamics of the process of neutralization of a satellites negative electric charge by the charge of a layer of positive ions of ionospheric plasma is investigated. The changes in the electric field strength, as well as in the velocity and density of plasma ions, are obtained depending on the initial position of a particle and the distance to the satellites surface. It is found that under the conditions of accepted approximations, as the time grows unlimitedly, the satellites charge tends to zero but does not reach this value. The time during which the satellites electric charge decreases in magnitude as many times as specified is determined. It is shown that the negative charge of a satellite and the charge of a layer of plasma ions can form a structure of a double charged layer type whose lifetime is much longer than the time of its formation.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2005, pp. 9–18.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Fedorov.