Anticipated electrical environment at Phobos: Nominal and solar storm conditions

W.M Farrell; J.S Halekas; S Fatemi; A.R Poppe; C Hartzell; J.R Marshall; T.J Stubbs; M.I Zimmerman; Y Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2017.08.009

Back

Anticipated electrical environment at Phobos: Nominal and solar storm conditions

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Anticipated electrical environment at Phobos: Nominal and solar storm conditions

W.M Farrell, J.S Halekas, S Fatemi, A.R Poppe, C Hartzell, J.R Marshall, T.J Stubbs, M.I Zimmerman and Y Zheng

Advances in space research, Vol.62(8), pp.2199-2212

10/15/2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2017.08.009

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2017.08.009View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

A passing coronal mass ejection (CME) will manifest a different response at an airless body compared to a magnetized planet. Specifically, because the regolith-rich surfaces of airless bodies are directly exposed to the variations in the plasma flow, the surfaces are found to undergo anomalous surface charging during the passing of CME fast plasma events. In this study, we model the surface charging expected at Phobos for nominal solar wind conditions and also those associated with disturbed solar wind conditions during the passage of a CME similar to that observed by MAVEN at Mars in early March 2015. We use an ambipolar diffusion model to examine the development of the trailing wake/void in the plasma flow behind Phobos and the formation of mini-wakes within obstruction regions like Stickney Crater. We also consider the roving of an astronaut in Stickney Crater for Phobos positioned near 10h Local Time relative to Mars. We examine the plasma dissipation of the collected astronaut charge from contact electrification with the regolith.

Mars

Phobos

Surface charging

Details

Title: Subtitle: Anticipated electrical environment at Phobos: Nominal and solar storm conditions
Creators: W.M Farrell - Goddard Space Flight Center
J.S Halekas - University of Iowa
S Fatemi - University of California, Berkeley
A.R Poppe - University of California, Berkeley
C Hartzell - University of Maryland, College Park
J.R Marshall - Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
T.J Stubbs - Goddard Space Flight Center
M.I Zimmerman - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Y Zheng - Goddard Space Flight Center
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Advances in space research, Vol.62(8), pp.2199-2212
DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2017.08.009
ISSN: 0273-1177
eISSN: 1879-1948
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Grant note: name: NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute
Language: English
Date published: 10/15/2018
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984199796202771

Metrics

17 Record Views

5 Times Cited - Web of Science