Simulations of nonlinear plasma structures generated by charged orbital debris

Orbital debris and meteoroids immersed in space plasma obtain an electric charge, enabling them to electromagnetically interact with the ambient environment. Beyond the well-characterized linear response, charged objects can also produce nonlinear responses in the form of coherent plasma structures. These structures include solitons, shocks, and vortices, and might be detectable in situ or remotely. Understanding the physics anthropogenic plasma signatures could enable us to sense, characterize, and track debris.