The electric potential of the lunar surface

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dc.contributor.advisorFreeman, John W.en_US
dc.creatorIbrahim, Mohamed Esamen_US
dc.date.accessioned2018-12-18T21:16:54Zen_US
dc.date.available2018-12-18T21:16:54Zen_US
dc.date.issued1975en_US
dc.description.abstractThe sunlit lunar surface potential has been determined experimentally using 2 months of data provided by the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment (SIDE) deployed at the Apollo 14 and 15 sites. The magnitude of the lunar surface potential was found to vary as the moon passes through the different plasma environments, such as the solar wind, magnetosheath and the earth's geomagnetic tail, in its orbit around the earth. In the dayside solar wind and/or the magnetosheath the potential is approximately +1 volts for the solar zenith angles less than 4°. At higher zenith angles, about 5°, an asymmetry exists where by the potential rises to +18 volts in the dawn side, and drops to +17 volts in the dusk side. In the geomagnetic tail, the data indicate potentials of +1 volts or greater are common in some regions in the tail. This result probably applies to the higher plasma density regions of the plasma sheet and boundary layer. Computation of the dayside surface potential using recently measured values of the magnetosheath parameters and photoelectron flux yield approximately +11 volts potential, which agrees with our observational results. As a result of the positive potential on the dayside of the moon, an electron plasma sheet is formed adjacent to the surface to shield the net positive charge on the lunar surface. The electric field is calculated to be approximately > 1 V/m, directed outward.en_US
dc.format.digitalOriginreformatted digitalen_US
dc.format.extent92 ppen_US
dc.identifier.callnoThesis Sp. Sci. 1975 Ibrahimen_US
dc.identifier.citationIbrahim, Mohamed Esam. "The electric potential of the lunar surface." (1975) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/104062">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/104062</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.digitalRICE1688en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/104062en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.titleThe electric potential of the lunar surfaceen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentSpace Scienceen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US
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