Development of the floating Langmuir probe for cubesats

Abstract

In recent years the small-scale variation of the ionosphere and the re-entry process greatly draw scientists attentions The plasma density of ionosphere in the region below 300 km varies dramatically and electrons interact with ions frequently the conventional Langmuir probe is not applicability of the research in this region due to its low temporal resolution In this work an innovated approach of the electron temperature (Te) and density (ne) measurements by an electrically floated circuit based on the principles of the double and triple Langmuir probes named as the floating Langmuir probe (fLP) is presented Hence the goal of this work is to advance the a new measurement instrument based on the conventional Langmuir probe and make it suitable for cubesats to measure the plasma in the ionosphere and the atmospheric re-entry process Comparing with the conventional Langmuir probe fLP is designed as an electrically floating system therefore it can measure the plasma on-board a cubesat stably with a high temporal resolution to measure the highly variating plasma during the atmospheric re-entry process In this work the design concept performance analysis by simulation hardware development and in-lab experiments of the fLP are presented The electron temperature and density measured by the fLP at a well-floated system is verified by a well-grounded conventional Langmuir probe in the Space Plasma Operation Chamber owned by NCKU It is demonstrated that the fLP neither influenced nor was influenced by the satellite potential variations This instrument is capable of not only ionospheric plasma exploration but also for the high-temperature and high-density plasma investigations around the spacecraft during its re-entry processes

Date of Award	2019
Original language	English
Supervisor	Bing-Chih Chen (Supervisor)