On plasma disturbances caused by the motion of the space shuttle and small satellites: A comparison of in situ observations

Abstract

Recent results regarding the interactions between a body and its environmental space plasma, made by charged particle probes mounted in the bay of the space shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS 3 mission), are compared with earlier results, obtained from small ionospheric satellites, in an attempt to widen our scope of knowledge and understanding regarding such interactions. The objective is to work toward a unified model of body‐space plasma interactions in the solar system covering a variety of plasma and body conditions. The comparisons focus mainly on (1) the (wake/ram) current ratio; (2) the generation of charged particle density fluctuations (indicative of plasma turbulence) around the body; and (3) the increase in electron temperature ahead and in the wake of the satellite. The main results of the comparison are that (1) the (wake/ram) current ratio (or current depletion in the wake) for the Orbiter is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude larger than the ratio for small ionospheric satellites; and (2) fluctuations in density (or turbulence) are observed for both “large body” (shuttle Orbiter) and “smaller body” (standard ionospheric satellites). However, the cause of the turbulence may not be the same for both cases; (3) the results for the electronic temperature enhancement due to the shuttle Orbiter are in contrast with measurements from smaller ionospheric satellites. We suggest a path to follow in future shuttle experiments and caution that care be taken in interpreting local particle and field measurements.