The Plasmasphere

plasmasphere.png

Most of the mass of particles in server sky orbits is cold (<1eV) plasma, in the upper fringes of the atmosphere. The total mass of these particles is small. This plot shows density versus distance.

This plot is modified from http://plasmasphere.nasa.gov/media/meridianswing.html

orbit

Radius

Lmin

Lmax

Densmin

Densmax

Volume

Mass

m288

12789 km

1.93

2.14

4500/cm3

7000/cm3

1.8e12 km3

17000 kg

m360

14441 km

2.19

2.42

2500/cm3

4000/cm3

2.6e12 km3

14000 kg

m480

16756 km

2.55

2.79

1200/cm3

2500/cm3

3.5e12 km3

11000 kg

Earth

1.1e12 km3

6e24 kg

Troposphere

8e9 km3

5e18 kg

A few thousand tons of thinsats will vastly increase the number of coulomb scattering centers.

MoreLater

The magnetosphere

The dipole field at the equator is 31000nT. A geomagnetic storm changes this by depositing a westward ring of electric current, which induces a negative change in the field:

-30nT to -50nT

weak storm

-50nT to -100nT

moderate storm

> -100nT

intense

> -300nT

"a few times per solar cycle

Plasmasphere (last edited 2013-02-24 21:54:35 by KeithLofstrom)