Numerical Modeling of Overlaps of Visibility Zones of Auroral Imagers from Space Vehicles in the Earth Polar Zones

Abstract

This paper describes a numerical experiment on simulating the visibility zones of auroral imagers placed onboard near-earth space vehicles aimed at detection of overlaps of visibility zones above the north and south poles of the Earth. The appropriate experiment software SEApp based on a simplified numerical model of space vehicle motion is described that enables one to study numerically the motion of two satellites over a given period of time and to predict overlaps of visibility zones of the auroral imagers above the north and south poles of the Earth.