An analytical simulation of the geosynchronous plasma environment

A procedure for analytically simulating the parameters necessary to characterize the geosynchronous plasma is developed in terms of the daily A_p index and local time. Although based on a limited set of ATS-5 data, the simulation adequately models the simultaneous variations in the warm plasma (50 eV–50 keV) electron and ion populations during injection events. Developed primarily to estimate the varying potentials expected on a shadowed, electrically isolated surface, the simulation can also be employed in a variety of cases where knowledge of the general characteristics of the geosynchronous plasma is necessary.