Radiation Effects on Satellites During Extreme Space Weather Events
Radiation Effects on Satellites During Extreme Space Weather Events
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DOI：
10.1029/2018sw001913
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发表时间：
2018-09-01
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Horne, R. B.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hands, A. D. P.;Ryden, K. A.;Horne, R. B.
货车艾伦带中的高能俘获电子对轨道航天器的生存能力构成威胁。两个关键的辐射效应是部件和材料的总电离剂量和位移损伤剂量，两者都会造成累积且基本上不可逆转的损伤。在极端空间天气事件期间，货车艾伦带中被捕获的电子通量的强度可增加几个数量级，导致卫星故障的风险增加。我们使用建模和统计分析产生的极端环境来估计上述辐射效应对卫星的影响。最坏的情况可能导致发电能力的重大损失，高达近8%，并造成长达四年的电离剂量退化，导致部件损坏和缩短卫星寿命。鉴于我们越来越依赖卫星提供各种服务，包括通信、导航、国防和关键基础设施，这种损失的后果是非常严重的。简明扼要的语言摘要卫星暴露在各种可能具有破坏性的空间辐射源中。其中最重要的是被地球磁场捕获的高能电子的数量，即所谓的货车艾伦带。在极端空间天气事件期间，货车艾伦带中被捕获的电子通量的强度可增加几个数量级，导致卫星受损的风险增加。这种损害的一个例子是卫星太阳能电池板的发电能力下降。在这方面，空间气象的威胁迄今一直与太阳质子事件有关，即太阳偶尔发射的高能质子爆发。然而，我们的分析表明，增强货车艾伦带电子人口可以超过太阳质子的威胁，这对保护卫星免受这种现象的影响。至关重要的是，必须采取足够强有力的工程设计措施，以确保我们社会日益依赖的卫星技术今后的可靠性。
High-energy trapped electrons in the Van Allen belts pose a threat to the survivability of orbiting spacecraft. Two key radiation effects are total ionizing dose and displacement damage dose in components and materials, both of which cause cumulative and largely irreversible damage. During an extreme space weather event, trapped electron fluxes in the Van Allen belts can increase by several orders of magnitude in intensity, leading to an enhanced risk of satellite failure. We use extreme environments generated by modeling and statistical analyses to estimate the consequences for satellites in terms of the radiation effects described above. A worst-case event could lead to significant losses in power generating capabilityup to almost 8%and cause up to four years' worth of ionizing dose degradation, leading to component damage and a life-shortening effect on satellites. The consequences of such losses are hugely significant given our increasing reliance on satellites for a vast array of services, including communication, navigation, defense, and critical infrastructure.Plain Language Summary Satellites are exposed to a variety of sources of potentially damaging space radiation. One of the most important of these is the population of high-energy electrons that lies trapped by the Earth's magnetic fieldthe so-called Van Allen belts. During an extreme space weather event, trapped electron fluxes in the Van Allen belts can increase by several orders of magnitude in intensity, leading to an enhanced risk of satellite damage. One example of this damage is degradation in the power-generating capability of satellite solar panels. The threat from space weather in this context has hitherto been associated with solar proton events, that is, bursts of energetic protons that are sporadically emitted from the Sun. However, our analysis shows that enhancements in the Van Allen belt electron population can exceed the solar proton threat, which has implications for the protection of satellites from such phenomena. It is essential that sufficiently robust engineering design measures are put in place, in order to ensure the future reliability of satellite technology, on which our society is increasingly reliant.