Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “dust settling”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

A turbulent two-phase flow model for nebula flows

A new and very efficient turbulent two-phase flow numericaly model is described to analyze the environment of a protoplanetary nebula at a stage prior to the formation of planets. Focus is on settling processes of dust particles in flattened gaseous nebulae. The model employs a perturbation technique to improve the accuracy of the numerical simulations of such flows where small variations of physical quantities occur over large distance ranges. The particles are allowed to be diffused by gas turbulence in addition to settling under gravity. Their diffusion coefficients is related to the gas turbulent viscosity by the non-dimensional Schmidt number. The gas turbulent viscosity is determined by the means of the eddy viscosity hypothesis that assumes the Reynolds stress tensor proportional to the mean strain rate tensor. Zero- and two-equation turbulence models are employed. Modeling assumptions are detailed and discussed. The numerical model is shown to reproduce an existing analytical solution for the settling process of particles in an inviscid nebula. Results of nebula flows are presented taking into account turbulence effects of nebula flows. Diffusion processes are found to control the settling of particles.

Champney, Joelle M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Possible dust contamination of the early solar system

Measurements carried out over more than twenty years indicate a deficiency of neutrinos emitted from the deep interior of the Sun in conjunction with the neutrino flux expected from canonical solar models. The early measurements were sensitive only to high-energy neutrinos emitted from B-8 on a minor branch of the energy-producing nuclear reactions in the solar interior. Thus these measurements were not widely considered to be a definitive test of solar physics. However the more recent measurements, which are sensitive to lower energy neutrinos, produced primarily by the p-p reaction on the main energy-producing branch of the solar nuclear reactions, pose a far more significant mystery in physics. One possibility is that the Sun's interior opacity is lower than expected due to a paucity of elements. This paper discusses that the Sun formed from material less abundant in heavy elements than usually believed, and the subsequent contamination due to the settling of surrounding dust brought the abundance of heavy elements - in the protoplanetary nebula, and in the Sun's convective envelope - up to the currently observed value.

Levy, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Toxicity of Lunar Dust in Lungs Assessed by Examining Biomarkers in Exposed Mice

NASA plans to build an outpost on the Moon for prolonged human habitation and research. The lunar surface is covered by a layer of soil, of which the finest portion is highly reactive dust. NASA has invited NIOSH to collaboratively investigate the toxicity of lunar dust. Dust samples of respirable sizes were aerodynamically isolated from two lunar soil samples of different maturities (cosmic exposure ages) collected during the Apollo 16 mission. The lunar dust samples, titanium dioxide, or quartz, suspended in normal saline or in Survanta (a bovine lung surfactant), were given to groups of 5 mice (C-57 male) by intrapharyngeal aspiration at 1, 0.3, or 0.1 mg/mouse. The mice were euthanized 7 or 30 days later, and their lungs were lavaged to assess the toxicity biomarkers in bronchioalveolar lavage fluids. The acellular fractions were assayed for total proteins, lactate dehydrogenase activities, and cytokines; the cellular portions were assessed for total cell counts and cell differentials. Results from the high-dose groups showed that lunar dust, suspended in saline, was more toxic than TiO 2, but less toxic than quartz. Lunar dust particles aggregate and settle out rapidly in water or saline, but not in Survanta. Lunar dust suspended in Survanta manifested greater toxicity than lunar dust in saline. The increase in toxicity presumably was due to that Survanta gave a better particle dispersion in the lungs. The two lunar dust samples showed similar toxicity. The overall results showed that lunar dust is more toxic than TiO 2 but less toxic than quartz.

Lam, C.-W.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Importance of Different Parameterization Changes for the Updated Dust Cycle Modeling in the Community Atmosphere Model (Version 6.1)

The Community Atmosphere Model (CAM6.1), the atmospheric component of the Community Earth System Model (CESM; version 2.1), simulates the life cycle (emission, transport, and deposition) of mineral dust and its interactions with physio-chemical components to quantify the impacts of dust on climate and the Earth system. The accuracy of such quantifications relies on how well dust-related processes are represented in the model. Here we update the parameterizations for the dust module, including those on the dust emission scheme, the aerosol dry deposition scheme, the size distribution of transported dust, and the treatment of dust particle shape. Multiple simulations were undertaken to evaluate the model performance against diverse observations, and to understand how each update alters the modeled dust cycle and the simulated dust direct radiative effect. The model–observation comparisons suggest that substantially improved model representations of the dust cycle are achieved primarily through the new more physically-based dust emission scheme. In comparison, the other modifications induced small changes to the modeled dust cycle and model–observation comparisons, except the size distribution of dust in the coarse mode, which can be even more influential than that of replacing the dust emission scheme. We highlight which changes introduced here are important for which regions, shedding light on further dust model developments required for more accurately estimating interactions between dust and climate.

mineral dust parameterizations↗
NASA NTRS2006

Airborne Dust in Space Vehicles and Habitats

Airborne dust, suspended inside a space vehicle or in future celestial habitats, can present a serious threat to crew health if it is not controlled. During the Apollo missions to the moon, lunar dust brought inside the capsule caused eye irritation and breathing difficulty to the crew when they launched from the moon and re-acquired "microgravity." During Shuttle flights reactive and toxic dusts such as lithium hydroxide have created a risk to crew health, and fine particles from combustion events can be especially worrisome. Under nominal spaceflight conditions, airborne dusts and particles tend to be larger than on earth because of the absence of gravity settling. Aboard the ISS, dusts are effectively managed by HEPA filters, although floating dust in newly-arrived modules can be a nuisance. Future missions to the moon and to Mars will present additional challenges because of the possibility that external dust will enter the breathing atmosphere of the habitat and reach the crew's respiratory system. Testing with simulated lunar and Martian dust has shown that these materials are toxic when placed into the lungs of test animals. Defining and evaluating the physical and chemical properties of Martian dusts through robotic missions will challenge our ability to prepare better dust simulants and to determine the risk to crew health from exposure to such dusts.

James, John↗
NASA NTRS2008

Spatially Resolved Imaging at 350 Micrometers of Cold Dust in Nearby Elliptical Galaxies

Continuum observations at 350 micrometers of seven nearby elliptical galaxies for which CO gas disks have recently been resolved with interferometry mapping are presented. These SHARC II mapping results provide the first clearly resolved far-infrared (FIR)-to-submillimeter continuum emission from cold dust (with temperatures 31 K is approximately greater than T approximately greater than 23 K) of any elliptical galaxy at a distance greater than 40 Mpc. The measured FIR excess shows that the most likely and dominant heating source of this dust is not dilute stellar radiation or cooling flows, but rather star formation that could have been triggered by an accretion or merger event and fueled by dust-rich material that has settled in a dense region cospatial with the central CO gas disks. The dust is detected even in two cluster ellipticals that are deficient in H (sub I), showing that, unlike H (sub I), cold dust and CO in ellipticals can survive in the presence of hot X-ray gas, even in galaxy clusters. No dust cooler than 20 K, either distributed outside the CO disks or cospatial with and heated by the entire dilute stellar optical galaxy (or very extended H (sub I)), is currently evident.

photometry↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Cloud Condensation Nuclei in the Early Martian Atmosphere

Explanations for how early Mars supported warmer and wetter conditions 3.5 to 4 billion years ago have long been debated. A water cloud greenhouse has been proposed as a mechanism of warming early Mars, but modeling studies of these environments produce mixed results. Studies show that both H 2 O and CO 2 clouds are capable of influencing atmospheric and surface temperatures, but the amount of warming induced is very sensitive to the cloud physics assumptions made. Producing a strong water cloud greenhouse effect is dependent on forming clouds as high in the atmosphere as possible to maximize warming. However, the majority of studies of H 2 O and CO 2 clouds on early Mars assume that a constant number of seed nuclei are available at all altitudes for clouds to condense onto. Here we test the validity of this assumption in massive CO 2 atmospheres. Explaining how dust is lofted into the middle atmosphere to serve as seed nuclei for cloud formation is a challenge even for present day Mars. This problem may change in an early Mars environment where having a more massive atmosphere could result in differences in the general circulation, vertical transport, and settling time scales of dust. Here, we begin a first-ever study of the early Mars dust cycle and how it might couple to the water cycle. We present early Mars simulations in which dust is injected at the surface and can be transported throughout the atmosphere. We explore the resulting vertical and horizontal distributions of dust particles and their sizes with an emphasis on the maximum height of the dust. We aim to investigate what the distribution of cloud condensation nuclei may have been on early Mars and how this might impact cloud formation.

Kathryn Steakley↗
NASA NTRS1985

Mining cosmic dust from the blue ice lakes of Greenland

Extraterrestrial material, most of which invisible settles to Earth's surface as dust particles smaller than a millimeter in size were investigated. Particles of 1/10 millimeter size fall at a rate of one/sq m/yr collection of extraterrestrial dust is important because the recovered cosmic dust particles can provide important information about comets. Comets are the most important source of dust in the solar system and they are probably the major source of extraterrestrial dust that is collectable at the Earth's surface. A new collection site for cosmic dust, in an environment where degradation by weathering is minimal is reported. It is found that the blue ice lakes on the Greenland ice cap provide an ideal location for collection of extraterrestrial dust particles larger than 0.1 mm in size. It is found that the lakes contain large amounts of cosmic dust which is much better preserved than similar particles recovered from the ocean floor.

Maurette, M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Chondrule formation in lightning discharges

Chondrules represent a significant mass fraction of primitive meteorites. These millimeter-sized glassy droplets appear to be the products of intensive transient heating events. Their size distribution, chemical and mineral composition, texture, isotope composition suggest that chondrules were produced as a result of short-duration melting followed by rapid cooling of solid precursor particles. Gas-dynamics heating, magnetic reconnection, and electrostatic discharges are thought to be the leading candidates to explain chondrule formation. In this paper we summarize our recent theoretical progress on the effects of 'lightning' in the early solar system and also report on preliminary results from our laboratory experiments. Differential settling of various sized dust particles toward the midplane of the nebula is suspected to build large-scale charge separations that episodically relax via the electric breakdown of the nebular gas. The electrostatic discharge os analogous to lightning in the Earth's atmosphere.

Horanyi, M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Implementation of Parallel Computing Technology to Vortex Flow

Mainframe supercomputers such as the Cray C90 was invaluable in obtaining large scale computations using several millions of grid points to resolve salient features of a tip vortex flow over a lifting wing. However, real flight configurations require tracking not only of the flow over several lifting wings but its growth and decay in the near- and intermediate- wake regions, not to mention the interaction of these vortices with each other. Resolving and tracking the evolution and interaction of these vortices shed from complex bodies is computationally intensive. Parallel computing technology is an attractive option in solving these flows. In planetary science vortical flows are also important in studying how planets and protoplanets form when cosmic dust and gases become gravitationally unstable and eventually form planets or protoplanets. The current paradigm for the formation of planetary systems maintains that the planets accreted from the nebula of gas and dust left over from the formation of the Sun. Traditional theory also indicate that such a preplanetary nebula took the form of flattened disk. The coagulation of dust led to the settling of aggregates toward the midplane of the disk, where they grew further into asteroid-like planetesimals. Some of the issues still remaining in this process are the onset of gravitational instability, the role of turbulence in the damping of particles and radial effects. In this study the focus will be with the role of turbulence and the radial effects.

Dacles-Mariani, Jennifer↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Growth of Planets From Planetesimals

Modern theories of star and planet formation, which are based upon observations of the Solar System and of young stars and their environments, state that planets grow from circumstellar disks of gas and dust. Interstellar dust and/or disk condensates settle towards the midplane of the disk and agglomerate into kilometer-sized solid bodies known as planetesimals. These planetesimals then interact with one another via gravitational forces and collisions. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth in the same manner as do terrestrial planets, but they become -massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. Models for the formation of our Solar System and of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches are discussed.

Lissauer, Jack J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

High-Contrast NIR Polarization Imaging of MWC480

One of the key predictions of modeling from the IR excess of Herbig Ae stars is that for protoplanetary disks, where significant grain growth and settling has occurred, the dust disk has flattened to the point that it can be partially or largely shadowed by the innermost material at or near the dust sublimation radius. When the self-shadowing has already started, the outer disk is expected to be detected in scattered light only in the exceptional cases that the scale height of the dust disk at the sublimation radius is smaller than usual. High-contrast imaging combined with the IR spectral energy distribution allow us to measure the degree of flattening of the disk, as well as to determine the properties of the outer disk. We present polarimetric differential imaging in H band obtained with Subaru/HiCIAO of one such system, MWC 480. The HiCIAO data were obtained at a historic minimum of the NIR excess. The disk is detected in scattered light from 0".2-1"0 (27.4-137 AU). Together with the marginal detection of the disk from 1998 February 24 by HST / NICMOS, our data constrain the opening half angle for the disk to lie between 1.3 <= Theta <=2.2 deg. When compared with similar measures in CO for the gas disk from the literature, the dust disk subtends only approx 30% of the gas disk scale height (H/R approx 0. 03). Such a dust disk is a factor of 5-7 flatter than transitional disks, which have structural signatures that giant planets have formed.

McElwain, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Numerical Prediction of Dust

Covers the whole breadth of mineral dust research, from a scientific perspective Presents interdisciplinary work including results from field campaigns, satellite observations, laboratory studies, computer modelling and theoretical studies Explores the role of dust as a player and recorder of environmental change This volume presents state-of-the-art research about mineral dust, including results from field campaigns, satellite observations, laboratory studies, computer modelling and theoretical studies. Dust research is a new, dynamic and fast-growing area of science and due to its multiple roles in the Earth system, dust has become a fascinating topic for many scientific disciplines. Aspects of dust research covered in this book reach from timescales of minutes (as with dust devils, cloud processes, and radiation) to millennia (as with loess formation and oceanic sediments), making dust both a player and recorder of environmental change. The book is structured in four main parts that explore characteristics of dust, the global dust cycle, impacts of dust on the Earth system, and dust as a climate indicator. The chapters in these parts provide a comprehensive, detailed overview of this highly interdisciplinary subject. The contributions presented here cover dust from source to sink and describe all the processes dust particles undergo while travelling through the atmosphere. Chapters explore how dust is lifted and transported, how it affects radiation, clouds, regional circulations, precipitation and chemical processes in the atmosphere, and how it deteriorates air quality. The book explores how dust is removed from the atmosphere by gravitational settling, turbulence or precipitation, how iron contained in dust fertilizes terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and about the role that dust plays in human health. We learn how dust is observed, simulated using computer models and forecast. The book also details the role of dust deposits for climate reconstructions. Scientific observations and results are presented, along with numerous illustrations. This work has an interdisciplinary appeal and will engage scholars in geology, geography, chemistry, meteorology and physics, amongst others with an interest in the Earth system and environmental change.

dust↗
NASA NTRS1999

The MSP 2001 Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment (MECA)

A chemical analysis of soil-water mixtures and the first microscopic images of martian soil will be among the results to be returned by the Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment (MECA) payload on the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Lander. Sponsored by the Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise, MECA's primary goal is to evaluate potential geochemical and environmental hazards that may confront future martian explorers, and to guide HEDS scientists in the development of high fidelity Mars soil simulants. As a survey of soil properties, the MECA data set will also be rich in information relevant to basic geology, paleoclimate, and exobiology. The integrated MECA payload contains a wet-chemistry laboratory, a microscopy station, an electrometer to characterize the electrostatics of the soil and its environment, and arrays of material patches to study the abrasive and adhesive properties of soil grains. MECA is allocated a mass of 10 kg and a peak power usage of 15 W within an enclosure of 35 x 25 x 15 cm. The Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL) consists of four identical cells that will accept samples from surface and subsurface regions accessible to the Lander's robotic arm, mix them with water, and perform extensive analysis of the solution. Ion-selective electrodes and related sensors will evaluate total dissolved solids, redox potential, pH, and the concentration of many soluble ions and gases. Cyclic voltammetry will address oxidants, and anodic stripping voltammetry will probe potentially hazardous trace metals. MECA's microscopy station combines optical and atomic-force microscopy (AFM) in a controlled illumination environment to image dust and soil particles from millimeters to nanometers in size. Careful selection of substrates and an abrasion tool allows experimental study of size distribution, adhesion, abrasion, hardness, color, shape, aggregation, magnetic and other properties. Mounted on the end of the robot arm, MECA's electrometer consists of four types of sensors: an electric field meter, several triboelectricity monitors, an ion gauge, and a thermometer. Tempered only by ultra-violet- light-induced ions and a low-voltage break-down threshold, the dry, cold, dusty martian environment presents an imposing electrostatic hazard to both robots and humans. In addition, the electrostatic environment is key to transport of dust and, consequently, martian meteorology. MECA will also observe natural dust accumulation on engineering materials. Viewed with the robot arm camera, the abrasion and adhesion plates are strategically placed to allow direct observation of the inter-action between materials and soils on a macroscopic scale. Materials of graded hardness are placed directly under the robot arm scoop to sense wear and soil hardness. A second array, placed on the lander deck, is deployed after the dust plume of landing has settled. It can be manipulated in a primitive fashion by the arm, first having dirt deposited on it from the scoop and subsequently shaken clean. Dust accumulation as a function of conductivity, magnetic field strength, and other parameters will be explored. The MECA instruments described above will assess potential hazards that the Martian soil might present to human explorers and their equipment. In addition, MECA will provide information on the composition of ancient surface water environments, observing microscopic evidence of geological (and biological?) processes, inferring soil and dust transport, comminution and weathering mechanisms, and characterizing soil horizons that might be encountered during excavation. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Hecht, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The MSP 2001 Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment (MECA)

The Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment (MECA) will evaluate the Martian environment for soil and dust-related hazards to human exploration as part of the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Lander. Sponsored by the Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise, MECA's goal is to evaluate potential geochemical and environmental hazards that may confront future Martian explorers, and to guide HEDS scientists in the development of high fidelity Mars soil simulants. The integrated MECA payload contains a wet-chemistry laboratory, a microscopy station, an electrometer to characterize the electrostatics of the soil and its environment, and arrays of material patches to study the abrasive and adhesive properties of soil grains. The instrument will acquire soil samples with a robotic arm equipped with a camera. MECA will examine surface and subsurface soil and dust in order to characterize particle size, shape, hardness, and also physical characteristics that may provide clues to mineralogy. MECA will characterize soil/water mixtures with respect to pH, redox potential, total dissolved ions, and trace toxins. MECA will determine the nature of electrostatic charging associated with excavation of soil, and the influence of ionizing radiation on material properties. It will also observe natural dust accumulation on engineering materials. To accomplish these objectives, MECA is allocated a mass of 10 kg within an enclosure of 35 x 25 x 15 cm. The Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL) consists of four identical cells that will accept samples from surface and subsurface regions accessible to the Lander's robotic arm, mix them with water, and perform extensive analysis of the solution. Ion-selective electrodes and related sensors will evaluate total dissolved solids, redox potential, pH, and the concentration of many soluble ions and gases in wet Martian soil. These electrodes can detect potentially dangerous heavy-metal ions, emitted pathogenic gases, and the soil's corrosive potential. Experiments will include cyclic voltammetry and anodic stripping voltammetry. Complementary to the Viking experiments, the chemical laboratory will characterize the water-soil solution rather than emitted gases. Nonetheless, through analysis of dissolved gases it will be able to replicate many of the Viking observations related to oxidants. MECA's microscopy station combines optical and atomic-force microscopy (AFM) in an actively focused, controlled illumination environment to image particles from millimeters to nanometers in size. Careful selection of substrates allows controlled experiments in adhesion, abrasion, hardness, aggregation, magnetic and other properties. Special tools allow primitive manipulation (brushing and scraping) of samples. Soil particle properties including size, shape, color, hardness, adhesive potential (electrostatic and magnetic), will be determined using an array of sample receptacles and collection substrates. The simple, rugged atomic-force microscope will image in the submicron size range and has the capability of performing a particle-by-particle analysis of the dust and soil. On Earth, the earliest forms of life are preserved as microfossils. The atomic-force microscope will have the required resolution to image down to the scale of terrestrial microfossils and beyond. Mounted on the end of the robot arm, MECA's electrometer actually consists of four types of sensors: an electric field meter, several triboelectricity monitors, an ion gauge, and a thermometer. Tempered only by ultraviolet-light-induced ions and a low-voltage breakdown threshold, the dry, cold, dusty martian environment presents an imposing electrostatic hazard to both robots and humans. The field meter will measure the ambient field on nearby objects while the triboelectric sensors, using identical circuitry, will measure the charge accumulated on test substances as they are dragged through the soil by the arm. The ion chamber, open to the environment, will sense both charged dust and free ions in the air. Over and above the potential threat to electronics, the electrostatic environment holds one of the keys to transport of dust and, consequently, Martian meteorology. Viewed with the robot arm camera, the abrasion and adhesion plates are strategically placed to allow direct observation of the interaction between materials and soils on a macroscopic scale. Materials of graded hardness are placed directly under the robot arm scoop to sense wear and soil hardness. A second array, placed on the lander deck, is deployed after the dust plume of landing has settled. It can be manipulated in a primitive fashion by the arm, first having dirt deposited on it from the scoop and subsequently shaken clean. A third array will passively collect dust from the atmosphere. In addition to objectives related to human exploration, the MECA data set will be rich in information relevant to basic geology, paleoclimate, and exobiology issues. To understand both contemporaneous and ancient processes on Mars, the mineralogy, petrology, and reactivity of Martian surface materials should be constrained. The MECA experiment will shed light on these quantities through its combination of chemistry and microscopy. MECA will be capable of measuring the composition of ancient surface water environments, observing microscopic evidence of geological (and biological?) processes, inferring soil and dust transport, comminution and weathering mechanisms, and characterizing soil horizons that might be encountered during excavation.

Hecht, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A new instability of Saturn's ring

Perturbations in the Saturn ring's mass density are noted to be prone to instabilities through the sporadic elevation of submicron-size dust particles above the rings, which furnishes an effective angular momentum exchange between the rings and Saturn. The dust thus elevated from the ring settles back onto it at a different radial distance. The range of wavelength instability is determinable in light of the dust charge, the average radial displacement of the dust, and the fluctuation of these quantities. It is suggested that at least some of the B-ring's ringlets may arise from the instability.

Goertz, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A proposed non-intrusive method for finding coefficients of slip and molecular reflectivity in microgravity

A proposed experimental program to look at a series of vapor transport properties measured along solid and liquid surfaces is described. The research objectives proposed are: (1) with accuracy otherwise unobtainable on ground, to determine the coefficient of slip measured between gases and the surfaces of liquids and solids; (2) for the first time, to classify and tabulate dominant surface effects found for a variety of solids, particularly those crystalized by vapor transport; and (3) to extend understanding of settling rates predicted for cosmic dust and condensed vapor falling through planetary atmospheres. The method used to obtain these objectives, has aided, to an order of magnitude, understanding of various liquid-gas interfaces such as oil and water. But to date, no similar characterization has proved successful for solids or liquids of uncertain densities. Likewise, no data exist in either ground-based research or as part of a microgravity program that, when collected with the high accuracy expected in low gravity, could definitely settle outstanding questions in kinetic theory, molecular dynamics, and cosmic physics.

Noever, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Darkness after the K-T impact: Effects of soot

Dust from the K-T impact apparently settled from the atmosphere in less than 6 months, restoring sunlight to minimum photosynthesis levels in about 4 months. However, the discovery of a global soot component in the boundary clay makes it necessary to reconsider the problem, as soot particles not only are smaller (0.1 vs. about 0.5 micrometer) and thus settle more slowly, but also are better light absorbers (optical depth of 13 mg soot cm(-2) about 1800; and are more resistant to rainout. Still, the darkness cannot have lasted very much longer than 6 months, else no larger animals would have survived. Perhaps the soot coagulated with the rock dust and fell out with it. Evidence on this point may be sought at a relatively undisturbed K-T boundary site, such as Woodside Creek, N.Z. There the boundary clay and lowermost Tertiary strata are finely laminated and show large chemical and isotopic differences on a millimeter scale, apparently representing a detailed time sequence. Researchers studied a 3 m section across the boundary at this site, analyzing the principal forms of carbon (soot, elemental C, kerogen, and carbonate) as well as 33 elements. Correlations among the elements were sought. Apparently soot came early and coagulated with the ejecta, staying with them for the primary fallout and in the next 5 cm, but then parting company, perhaps due to size sorting.

Wolbach, Wendy S.↗