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

Abstract

Measurements of ion current, electron temperature, and density and values of satellite potential from the U.S. Air Force Satellite S3‐2 together with ion composition measurements from the Atmosphere Explorer (AE‐E) satellite were used to examine the variation of the ratio α=[ I + (wake)]/[ I + (ambient)]| (where I + is the ion current) with altitude and to examine the significance of the parametric interplay between ionic Mach number, normalized body size R D (= R 0 /λ D , where R 0 is the satellite radius and λ D is the ambient debye length) and normalized body potential ϕ N (= e ϕ S / KT e , where ϕ s is the satellite potential, T e is the electron temperature, and e and K are constants). It was possible to separate between the influence of R D and ϕ N on α for a specific range of plasma parameters. Uncertainty, however, remains regarding the competition between R D and S (H + ) and S (O + ) (where S (O + ) and S (H + ) are oxygen and hydrogen ionic Mach numbers, respectively) in determining the ion distribution in the nearest vicinity to the satellite surface. A brief discussion relevant to future experiments in the area of body plasma flow interactions to be conducted on board the Shuttle/Spacelab facility, is also included.