-
The deep charge-discharge effect in dielectrics induced by high-energy electrons is a major cause of spacecraft anomalies and failures in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO). To evaluate the in-orbit deep charging and discharging behavior of satellite dielectric materials, ground-based simulation testing is essential. However, limitations in ground test conditions necessitate a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of such evaluations. This paper introduces the key physical model of deep dielectric charging, taking a grounded planar dielectric with an irradiated inner surface as a representative case to analyze the internal charging process and the evolution of critical physical quantities governing deep charging phenomena. The study employs the DICTAT simulation tool to investigate the charging effects of three distinct electron sources: strontium-90 decay electrons, monoenergetic electron beams, and GEO ambient electrons. In ground-based simulations, researchers typically use monoenergetic or continuous-spectrum electron beams with flux intensities on the order of pA·cm-2 to irradiate test specimens with varying shielding configurations, dielectric thicknesses, and material compositions, aiming to replicate in-situ deep charging phenomena and assess associated risks. Therefore, the simulations are conducted under electron flux levels representative of GEO orbital conditions. The study focuses on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dielectric samples under three typical spacecraft shielding configurations: (1) externally mounted on the cabin surface, (2) housed inside the pressurized cabin, and (3) embedded within standalone electronic subsystems, while systematically incorporating variations in dielectric thickness. The results demonstrate that the disparity between the electron flux deposited within the dielectric bulk and the flux at dielectric interfaces critically governs the severity of charging under varying irradiation conditions. Two key findings emerge: (1) Discrepancies in Electron Energy Spectra and Their Impact: The differences in energy spectra between test electron sources and the actual space environment lead to variations in deposited electron flux across different aluminum shielding thicknesses and dielectric depths. This discrepancy influences the equilibrium charging state by altering the current density and conductivity in sub-region-n (the dielectric-ground interface), potentially resulting in either underestimation or overestimation of deep charging effects compared to true space conditions. (2) Effectiveness of Different Electron Sources for Simulation: Strontium-based sources (e.g., Sr-90 β-decay spectra) effectively replicate the internal charging behavior of Teflon (PTFE) materials on cabin exteriors and inside pressurized compartments under GEO-like electron flux conditions. 0.5 MeV monoenergetic electron beams are suitable for simulating surface dielectric charging on cabin exteriors. However, higher-energy monoenergetic beams exhibit limited applicability across varying dielectric thicknesses. Despite the similar flux intensity used in the tests compared to the actual space environment, the differences in energy distribution between the test beams and space electrons can lead to underestimation or overestimation of the charging effects. Based on the simulation results, this paper provides recommendations for selecting appropriate test beam parameters under different shielding conditions to improve the accuracy of ground-based evaluations of in-orbit deep dielectric charging.
-
Keywords:
- Deep dielectric charging /
- DICTAT simulation /
- electron flux /
- experimental beam current recommendation
-
[1] Fennell J F, Koons H C, Roeder J L, Blake J B 2001Spacecraft Charging: Observations and Relationship to Satellite Anomalies Aerospace Report TR-2001(8570)-5(El Segundo CA: The Aerospace Corporation) pp2—6
[2] Huang J G, Han J W 2010Acta Phys. Sin. 59 2907（in Chinese） [黄建国，韩建伟2010 59 2907]
[3] Liu S H, Hu X F, Yuan Q Y, Xie X N 2019High Volt. Eng. 45 2108（in Chinese） [刘尚合，胡小锋，原青云，谢喜宁2019高电压技术45 2108]
[4] Wei D J, Zhu L Y, Wu J W, Tong Z A, Xia S W, Lin J Y 2023IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 51 3384
[5] Fennell J F, Koons H C, Chen M W, Blake J B 2000IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 28 2029
[6] Garrett H B, Whittlesey A C 2012Guide to Mitigating Spacecraft Charging Effects (Hoboken: Wiley) pp25—35
[7] Yu X Q, Chen H F, Zong Q G, Wang J Z, Shi W H, Zou H, Zou J Q, Zhong W Y, Chen Z, Shao S P, Jia X H 2016IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 63 1306
[8] Han J W, Zhang Z L, Huang J G, Quan R H, Li X Y 2007Spacecraft Environ. Eng. 24 47（in Chinese） [韩建伟，张振龙，黄建国，全荣辉，李小银2007航天器环境工程24 47]
[9] Zhang Z L, Han J W, Quan R H, An G P 2009Spacecraft Environ. Eng. 26 210（in Chinese） [张振龙，韩建伟，全荣辉，安广朋2009航天器环境工程26 210]
[10] Paulmier T, Dirassen B, Payan D, Van Eesbeek M 2009IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul. 16 682
[11] Liu J K, Zhang K M, Liu Q, Wang S, Wang B, Guo F 2018High Volt. Eng. 44 864（in Chinese） [刘继奎，张可墨，柳青，王松，王斌，国锋2018高电压技术44 864]
[12] Molinie P, Dessante P, Hanna R, Paulmier T, Dirassen B, Belhaj M, Payan D, Balcon N 2012IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul. 19 1215
[13] Chen W, Yang H L, Guo X Q, Yao Zhi B, Ding L L, Wang Z J, Wang C H, Wang Z M, Cong P T 2017Sci. Bull. 62 978（in Chinese） [陈伟，杨海亮，郭晓强，姚志斌，丁李利，王祖军，王晨辉，王忠明，丛培天. 2017科学通报62 978]
[14] Sorensen J, Rodgers D J, Ryden K A, Latham P M, Wrenn G L, Levy L, Panabiere G 2000IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 47 491
[15] Huang J G, Chen D 2004Acta Phys. Sin. 53 1611（in Chinese） [黄建国, 陈东2004 53 1611]
[16] Huang J G, Chen D 2004Chin. J. Geophys. 47 392（in Chinese） [黄建国, 陈东2004地球 47 392]
[17] Adamec V, Calderwood J H 1975J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 8 551
[18] SPENVIS (Space Environment Effects and Education System), ESA https://www.spenvis.oma.be/ [2025-2-17]
[19] NASA Office of the Chief Engineer 2022NASA-HDBK-4002B: Mitigating In-Space Charging Effects—A Guideline (Washington D.C.: NASA) pp37,105
[20] Weber K H 1963Nucl. Instrum. Methods 25 261
[21] Sørensen J 1996Proceedings of the ESA Symposium on Environment Modelling for Space-Based Applications Noordwijk, Netherlands, June 10-12, 1996 p129
[22] Plis E A, Engelhart D P, Likar J, Hoffmann R C, Cooper R, Ferguson D 2018J. Spacecr. Rockets 55 775
[23] DuPont 2022Kapton® Summary of Properties (Wilmington: DuPont) pp10—11
[24] McAlees M 2000Raw Material Challenges and New Technology Innovations in Pressure Sensitive Tape (Circleville: DuPont) pp294—298
Metrics
- Abstract views: 51
- PDF Downloads: 5
- Cited By: 0
下载:
