Charge measurement and control for the Gravity Probe B gyroscopes

We describe a technique based on photoemission for controlling the charge of the Gravity Probe B electrostatically suspended gyroscopes, and three methods for measuring this charge. Charging is caused by cosmic radiation in orbit and by enhanced field emission in ground testing. Errors induced by disturbing torques require the potential of the gyroscope to be smaller than 15 mV (15 pC) during the space experiment. The disturbing drift rate produced by measuring and controlling the charge in orbit is smaller than 10−13 deg/h, as compared with the 10−11 deg/h systematic drift rate of the gyroscope. The charge control technique is based on ultraviolet photoemission of electrons from both the gyroscope and a charge control electrode on the gyroscope housing. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in ground testing and therefore its suitability for the space experiment. Calculations indicate that heating by absorbed photons is, in the worst case, smaller than 1 nW and thus not a problem for the experiment. The principal charge measurement method is based on the determination of the control effort needed to balance a force modulation applied to the suspension electrodes. This technique is insensitive to pickup from the suspension system and to gyroscope miscentering, and is independent of the gyroscope acceleration. We demonstrate that the force modulation method is suitable for charge monitoring in orbit with an accuracy equal to or better than 4 mV.