Influence of mechanical damage generated by small space debris on electrostatic discharge

作     者：CAI Ming Hui LI Hong Wei HAN Jian Wei 

作者机构：National Space Science Center Chinese Academy of Sciences 

出 版 物：《Science China Earth Sciences》 (中国科学（地球科学英文版）)

年 卷 期：2016年第59卷第3期

页      面：533-539页

核心收录：

学科分类：083002[工学-环境工程] 0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 08[工学] 0825[工学-航空宇航科学与技术] 

基　　金：国家自然科学基金 

主　　题：Electrostatic discharge Small space debris Inverted potential gradient Spacecraft charging 

摘      要：Recent studies have indicated that hypervelocity impacts by meteoroids and space debris can induce spacecraft anomalies. However, the basic physical process through which space debris impacts cause anomalies is not entirely clear. Currently, impact-generated plasma is thought to be the primary cause of electrical spacecraft anomalies, while the effects of impact-generated mechanical damage have rarely been researched. This paper presents new evidence showing that impact-generated mechanical damage strongly influences electrostatic discharge. Hypervelocity impact experiments were conducted in a plasma drag particle accelerator, using particles with diameters of 200–500 ?m and velocities of 2–7 km/s. The impact-generated mechanical damage on a specimen surface was measured by a stereoscopic microscope and 3D Profilometer and it indicated that microscopic irregularities around the impact crater could be responsible for local electric field enhancement. Furthermore, the influence of impact-generated mechanical damage on electrostatic discharge was simulated in an inverted potential gradient situation. The experimental results show that the electrostatic discharge voltage threshold was significantly reduced after the specimen was impacted by particles.