The Particle-In-Cell simulation on LEO spacecraft charging and the wake structure using EMSES

Abstract

The spacecraft in space is exposed to charged particle bombardment leading to significant charging and distorting the wake structure. The complexity of interaction between spacecraft and particle is difficult to assess, thus needs to be resolved numerically using appropriate method. Electro Magnetic Spacecraft Environment Simulator (EMSES) was developed based on Particle-in-Cell (PIC) which treated not only electrostatic phenomena but also selfconsistent analysis of electromagnetic effects on the spacecraft surfaces. We employed EMSES to simulate the charging of ERS-1 spacecraft and its influence on the vicinity of the spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) environment. We focused on the floating potential of the spacecraft and the wake structure in the downstream region of the spacecraft. We also present the contribution of electric field to drive the ion trajectory passing through the sheath edge of the spacecraft.