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Ann. Geophys., 23, 3111-3113, 2005
www.ann-geophys.net/23/3111/2005/
© European Geosciences Union 2005
Space weather effects on the MAGION-4 and MAGION-5 solar cells
P. Tříska, A. Czapek, J. Chum, F. Hruška, J. Šimůnek, J. Šmilauer, V. Truhlík, and J. Vojta
Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Acad. Sci. Czech Republic, Boení II, 141 31 Prague 4, Czech Republic
Abstract. Data on solar array efficiency measured on board two Czech
MAGION micro-satellites between August 1995 and June 2002, during the period
of increasing and high solar activity, were used to study the space weather
effects on photo-voltaic solar cells. A stronger degradation of the solar
array was observed on MAGION-5 in comparison with MAGION-4. This fact can be
explained by the essential difference between the two orbits. The MAGION-5
s/c was in the radiation belts more than 40% of the time, whereas the
MAGION-4 was only present about 4% of the time. The experimental data refer to
periods of low as well as high solar activity, with an enhanced occurrence of
strong solar events. The evaluation of the data set covering a period of
more than 6 years has shown that solar proton flares can have an almost
immediate effect on the solar array efficiency. However, in the case of
MAGION-5, an important role in solar cell degradation is played by the
long-term effect of energetic particles in the radiation belts. Periods with
a distinctly steeper decrease in the solar array output power were observed
and can be explained by an increase of particle flux density in the
radiation belts. Periods in slower decline of the solar array output power
correspond to periods in low radiation belt indices based on the NOAA POES
s/c data.
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