Variation in relative dust impact charge recollection with antenna to spacecraft potential on STEREO

High‐velocity dust that impacts spacecraft releases charged plasma clouds that can create voltage perturbations that are measured by electric field instrumentation. These voltage perturbations are characterized by a relative maximum and minimum, which correspond to body and antenna charge recollection, respectively. The charge recollected by the antenna relative to the total recollected charge is found to correlate with the potential difference between the spacecraft and the antenna. From data analysis that spanned 2007–2013 on the STEREO‐A spacecraft, a positive correlation is found. This relationship will support future dust analysis with electric field instrumentation because it defines one spacecraft property that affects relative charge recollection. Key Points A prediction for dust impact charge recollection on STEREO is tested Dust impact waveform shape is compared with antenna to spacecraft potential Positive correlation is found between waveform shape and antenna to spacecraft potential