Multibody-plasma interactions - Charging in the wake

Multibody-plasma interactions refers to two or more charged bodies simultaneously interacting with the surrounding plasma as well as each other. This paper concerns a basic type of such interactions in space: the charging of a free flyer in the wake of a large structure. The conditions for severe charging are discussed quantitatively. Computer particle simulations are carried out to obtain the charging potentials in the wake of both floating and biased plate. It is shown that a severe charging zone exists in the near wake of a floating plate within which a free flyer is charged to the KV range under the sun shadow/auroral electron condition. Whether the plate is biased or floating, a large potential difference always exists between the plate and a docking free flyer in the wake. The effects of wake charging on spacecraft docking operations are discussed.