The magnetosphere which extends from the Fl region of the ionosphere (see Fig. 3.1) out to about ten earth radii on the sun-side and much further away on the dark-side is subject to a number of disturbances caused by: • Ion engine exhaust from cargo orbit transfer vehicles (from LEO to GEO), 9 Chemical exhaust from personnel orbit transfer vehicles, • Ion and chemical exhaust from stationkeeping and attitude control thrusters, • Various gases and particles emitted from satellites and vehicles in GEO, and • Movement of the very large metal structures of the satellites through the ambient magnetic field and ionized plasma. These disturbances can cause increased airglow, plasma turbulence, precipitation of Van Allen belt particles and perhaps even result in a change in location of the auroral zone. These atmospheric effects can in turn cause interference with optical sensors and radio communication and navigation systems as well as modification of the radiation belt dosage. (The SPS satellites will be located in GEO which overlaps the outer region of the second Van Allen belt.) Change in position of the auroral zone can result in power line surges in transmission networks and possibly changes in earth electrical currents. All of these effects and their impacts will have to be further investigated during FY 79 and FY 80. Specific recommendations for these two years were made at the recent workshop on Upper-Atmospheric Effects. These include the following: 1. Theoretically model the time-dependent response of the plasmasphere to argon ion injection. 2. Calculate the modification of the radiation belt high- energy electrons and the modification of the radiation dosage due to rocket effluents. 3. Calculate the expected increase in airglow intensity. 4. Experimentally observe ion beam-plasma interactions and plasma irregularity generation. 5. Measure the diurnal variations in the natural plas- maspheric temperature profile, etc. to compare with predicted variations resulting from SPS-related disturbances .
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