Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T16:08:44.837Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dynamic Modelling Transformations for the Low Earth Orbit Satellite Particulate Environment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

J.A.M. McDonnell
Affiliation:
Unit for Space Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, United Kingdom
K. Sullivan
Affiliation:
Unit for Space Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, United Kingdom
S.F. Green
Affiliation:
Unit for Space Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, United Kingdom
T.J. Stevenson
Affiliation:
Unit for Space Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, United Kingdom
D.H. Niblett
Affiliation:
Unit for Space Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, United Kingdom

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A simple dynamic model to investigate the relative fluxes and particle velocities on a spacecraft’s different faces is presented. The results for LDEF are consistent with a predominantly interplanetary origin for the larger particulates, but a sizable population of orbital particles with sizes capable of penetrating foils of thickness <30μm. Data from experiments over the last 30 years do not show the rise in flux expected if these were space debris. The possibility of a population of natural orbital particulates awaits confirmation from chemical residue analysis.

Type
Interplanetary Dust: Space and Earth Environment Studies
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1991

References

Jennison, R.C., McDonnell, J.A.M., and Rodger, I. (1967). ‘The Ariel II micrometeorite penetration measurements’, Proc. Roy. Soc. A., 300, 251269.Google Scholar
Laurance, M.R., and Brownlee, D.E. (1986). ‘The flux of meteoroids and orbital space debris striking satellites in low Earth orbit’, Nature, 323, 136138.Google Scholar
McCracken, C.W., Alexander, W.M., and Dubin, M. (1961). ‘Direct measurements of interplanetary dust particles in the vicinity of Earth’, Nature, 192, 441442.Google Scholar
McDonnell, J.A.M., Carey, W.C., and Dixon, D.G. (1984). ‘Cosmic dust collection by the capture cell technique on the Space Shuttle’, Nature, 309, 237240.Google Scholar
McDonnell, J.A.M., Deshpande, S.P., Green, S.F., Newman, P.J., Paley, M.T., Ratcliff, P.R., Stevenson, T.J., and Sullivan, K. (1990). ‘First results of paniculate impacts and foil perforations on LDEF’, Adv. Space Res. (in press).Google Scholar
McDonnell, J.A.M., Sullivan, K., Stevenson, T.J., and Niblett, D.H., (1991). ‘Paniculate detection in the near-Earth space environment aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility LDEF: cosmic or terrestrial?’, Proc. IAU Coll. on Origin and Evolution of Interplanetary Dust’, Kyoto, Japan.Google Scholar
Nilsson, C.S. (1966). ‘Some doubts about the Earth’s dust cloud’, Science, 153, 12421246.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Singer, S.F. (1961). ‘Interplanetary dust near the Earth’, Nature, 192, 321323.Google Scholar
Whipple, F.L. (1961). ‘The dust cloud above the Earth’, Nature, 189, 127128.Google Scholar