A three-dimensional numerical model for satellite-magnetoplasma interactions

Numerical simulations of the electrodynamic interactions between a satellite and magnetoplasma have been carried out using a 3-D particle-in-cell code in cylindrical geometry. The satellite is a finite-sized cylindrical body, which can be biased at a potential. The plasma is composed of electrons and hydrogen ions. Included in the model is a magnetic field, which represents the geomagnetic field and which in the model can be oriented as required. Simulation cases have been performed with and without a relative motion between the satellite and plasma. For the situation without motion, the current collected by the satellite is compared with the available analytical prediction from the theory of L. W. Parker and B. L. Murphy (1967). The current collected in the simulations is found to be in agreement with the theoretical value for different system parameters. For simulations with a relative motion, the current collected by the satellite is found to be enhanced over the nondrifting case