Plasma Waves Produced by Orbiting and Re-Entry Space Objects

Manmade space objects are categorized as active satellites and potentially harmful space debris. These objects can be tracked with optical telescopes and radars. A new technique called Space Object Identification by Measurements of Orbit Driven Waves (SOIMOW) is being developed at the University of Alaska that uses plasma wave radiation from both objects during both orbit and reentry into the atmosphere. Space objects found in low earth orbit from about 200 km to 2000 km altitude are traveling with hypersonic speed in the low beta plasma of the Earth's ionosphere. When these objects enter the lower atmosphere as they deorbit from atmospheric drag, they form a collisional reentry plasma around the object as a product of frictional heating. Electromagnetic plasma waves will be produced by both types of objects are influenced by a number of factors including charging of the space object, motion relative to the ambient magnetic field direction, local plasma density, periodic and turbulent oscillations at the target object, and motion of the sensors for detection of these waves. Theoretical models and plasma simulations of plasma wave generation need to be validated with in situ probes on host satellites, ground receivers of electromagnetic emissions, and experiments in laboratory space chambers. Examples of plasma wave measurements include (1) electric fields observed by the Canadian Swarm-E satellite passing less than 1 km to objects in low earth orbit, (2) remote detection of propulsion systems for both launch and on-obit operations, and (3) ground radio imaging of object entering the atmosphere.