Determination of photoelectronic current density on the basis of comparison between MEF-2 and TS-7 probe measurements of Interball-2 satellite potential relative to plasma

In this work, we propose a method for determining the photocurrent density on the basis of comparison between simultaneous MEF-2 (meter of the electric field) and TS-7 (electric temperature sensor) probe measurements of the Interball-2 satellite potential relative to the plasma. Data that have been obtained in ~350 orbit sections in the magnetospheric auroral zone at heights of 2-3 Earth radiuses from October 1996 to March 1998 are analyzed. It was the period of the low solar activity in the 23rd solar cycle beginning. It was found that the photocurrent density onboard Interball-2 was within 1.8÷3.6 nА cm-2.