Charged Dust Particles in Interplanetary Space
Charged dust particles in interplanetary space
CHARGED PARTICLE↗
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Dust Particle Charging near Surfaces in Space
Dust dynamics, as observed on the lunar surface, are thought to be due to the interaction between charged dust and a photoelectron sheath above the surface. We perform experiments on the charging and dynamics of dust near a surface having a sheath Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
Sickafoose, A. A.↗
Photoelectric Charging of Dust Particles
Laboratory experiments have been performed on the photoelectric charging of dust particles which are either isolated or adjacent to a surface that is also a photoemitter. We find that zinc dust charges to a positive potential of a few volts when isolated in vacuum and that it charges to a negative potential of a few volts when passed by a photoemitting surface. The illumination is an arc lamp emitting wavelengths longer than 200 nm and the emitting surface is a zirconium foil.
Sickafoose, A.↗
Laboratory investigation of electric charging of dust particles by electrons, ions, and UV radiation
In many cosmic environments electric charging of dust particles occurs by electrons, ions, and UV radiation. In case of interstellar dust particles the value of their electric charge can have, for instance, very important consequences for their destruction rate in supernova remnant's shock waves and can globally influence the overall life cycle of dust particles in galaxies. For experimental simulation of charging processes a vacuum chamber was used in which the particles fall through an electron or ion beam of energies up to 10 KeV. The aim of the experiments was to attain maximum charge of dust particles. Furthermore the influence of the rest gas was also determined because electrons and ions produced by collisional ionization of the rest gas can result in significant effects. For measurement particles from 1 to 100 microns from glass, carbon, Al, Fe, MgO, and very loosely bound conglomerates of Al2O3 were used.
Svestka, Jiri↗
Dust in magnetised plasmas - Basic theory and some applications
In this paper the theory of charged test particle motion in magnetic fields is reviewed. This theory is then extended to charged dust particles, for which gravity and charge fluctuations play an important role. It is shown that systematic drifts perpendicular to the magnetic field and stochastic transport effects may then have to be considered none of which occur in the case of atomic particles (with the exception of charge exchange reactions). Some applications of charged dust particle transport theory to planetary rings are then briefly discussed.
Northrop, T. G.↗
Investigating Particle-Particle Electrostatic Effects on Charged Lunar Dust Transport via Discrete Element Modeling
NASA surface exploration missions have always seen negative effects of dust including the Apollo missions. The astronaut-witnessed unusual behavior of the dust particles that surround the vehicle after engine cutoff has the potential to have more of an influence on surface systems dust loading than the high velocity lunar rocket plume ejecta in the landing process. The levitation and transport of the fine components of regolith on lunar surface has been linked to electrostatic effects and electric field, but so far there is no accurate model considering the inter-particle electrostatic interactions, especially when the particles are charged by rocket plume or other mechanical interactions due to exploration activities. This study is proposed to investigate the dynamics of charged lunar regolith with a discrete element method (DEM) approach focusing on the inter-particle interactions and contact charge transfer. The grain dynamics is coupled with mechanical and electrical particle interactions, and both short- and long-range interactions between spherical particles are incorporated. A tribo-charging model based on instantaneous collisions between particles is adopted and validated by comparing the simulation results to existing experimental data. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to quantify the effects of initial charge, tribo-charging, and E-field on transport of lunar dust based on JSC-1 simulants with a radius of 50 lm. DEM simulations are also conducted in a near realistic lunar environment with the estimations of initial conditions that shows the difference in position and velocity distributions between charged particles and uncharged particles. The results indicate that the charged dust particles have higher dispersion of position and velocity by several orders of magnitude due to electrostatic effects. This provides a potential explanation for the phenomena of the approximately 30 s dust lofting following Apollo Lunar Module landing.
Lunar dust↗
A Laboratory Study of the Charging/Discharging Mechanisms of a Dust Particle Exposed to an Electron Beam
The interaction of micron sized particles or "dust particles" with different space and planetary environments has become an important area of research. One particular area of interest is how dust particles interact with plasmas. Studies have shown that charged dust particles immersed in plasmas can alter plasma characteristics, while ions and electrons in plasmas can affect a particle's potential and thereby, its interaction with other particles. The basis for understanding these phenomena is the charging mechanisms of the dust particle, specifically, how the particle's charge and characteristics are affected when exposed to ions and electrons. At NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, a laboratory experiment has been developed to study the interaction of dust particles with electrons. Using a unique laboratory technique known as electrodynamic suspension, a single charged particle is suspended in a modified quadrupole trap. Once suspended, the particle is then exposed to an electron beam to study the charging/discharging mechanisms due to collisions of energetic electrons. The change in the particle's charge, approximations of the charging/discharging currents, and the charging/discharging yield are calculated.
Venturini, C. C.↗
A Laboratory Study of the Charging/Discharging Mechanisms of a Dust Particle Exposed to an Electron Beam
The interaction of micron sized particles or "dust particles" with different space and planetary environments has become an important area of research. One particular area of interest is how dust particles interact with plasmas. Studies have shown that charged dust particles immersed in plasmas can alter plasma characteristics, while ions and electrons in plasmas can affect a particle's potential and thereby, its interaction with other particles. The basis for understanding these phenomena is the charging mechanisms of the dust particle, specifically, how the particle's charge and characteristics are affected when exposed to ions and electrons. For example, when electrons collide with a dust particle, secondary electrons can be produced from the surface of a particle and can affect the surrounding plasma.
Venturini, C.C.↗
Experiments on Dust Grain Charging
Dust particles in various astrophysical environments are charged by a variety of mechanisms generally involving collisional processes with other charged particles and photoelectric emission with UV radiation from nearby sources. The sign and the magnitude of the particle charge are determined by the competition between the charging processes by UV radiation and collisions with charged particles. Knowledge of the particle charges and equilibrium potentials is important for understanding of a number of physical processes. The charge of a dust grain is thus a fundamental parameter that influences the physics of dusty plasmas, processes in the interplanetary medium and interstellar medium, interstellar dust clouds, planetary rings, cometary and outer atmospheres of planets etc. In this paper we present some results of experiments on charging of dust grains carried out on a laboratory facility capable levitating micron size dust grains in an electrodynamic balance in simulated space environments. The charging/discharging experiments were carried out by exposing the dust grains to energetic electron beams and UV radiation. Photoelectric efficiencies and yields of micron size dust grains of SiO2, and lunar simulates obtained from NASA-JSC will be presented.
Abbas, M. N.↗
Accelerator system and method of accelerating particles
An accelerator system and method that utilize dust as the primary mass flux for generating thrust are provided. The accelerator system can include an accelerator capable of operating in a self-neutralizing mode and having a discharge chamber and at least one ionizer capable of charging dust particles. The system can also include a dust particle feeder that is capable of introducing the dust particles into the accelerator. By applying a pulsed positive and negative charge voltage to the accelerator, the charged dust particles can be accelerated thereby generating thrust and neutralizing the accelerator system.
Wirz, Richard E.↗
Limitation of electrostatic charging of dust particles in a plasma
It is shown that in a dusty plasma consisting of a plasma (density n and temperature T) and dust grains (density N and radius a) the charge on a grain is not given by its free-space value. Instead, the charge is reduced by a factor 1 + x. Except for the optically thin E and G rings, this factor is large. Usually electromagnetic forces on dust particles in Saturn's ring system are too small to produce observable effects. The current carried by dust particles moving relative to the plasma with a speed w is to a good approximation given by j = NQw. Thus, magnetic perturbations by the F ring should be much smaller than previously estimated.
Goertz, C. K.↗
Experimental Determination of Infrared Extinction Coefficients of Interplanetary Dust Particles
This technique is based on irradiating a single isolated charged dust particle suspended in balance by an electric field, and measuring the scattered radiation as a function of angle. The observed scattered intensity profile at a specific wavelength obtained for a dust particle of known composition is compared with Mie theory calculations, and the variable parameters relating to the particle size and complex refractive index are adjusted for a best fit between the two profiles. This leads to a simultaneous determination of the particle radius, the complex refractive index, and the scattering and extinction coefficients. The results of these experiments can be utilized to examine the IRAS and DIRBE (Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment) infrared data sets in order to determine the dust particle physical characteristics and distributions by using infrared models and inversion techniques. This technique may also be employed for investigation of the rotational bursting phenomena whereby large size cosmic and interplanetary particles are believed to fragment into smaller dust particles.
Spann, J. F., Jr.↗
Dust Removal Technolgy for a Mars In Situ Resource Utilization System
Several In Situ Resource Utilization (lSRU) systems being considered to enable future manned exploration of Mars require capture of Martian atmospheric gas to extract oxygen and other commodities. However, the Martian atmosphere contains relatively large amounts of dust which must be removed in tbe collection systems of the ISRU chambers. The amount of atmospheric dust varies largely with the presence of daily dust devils and the less frequent but much more powerful global dust storms. A common and mature dust removal technology for terrestrial systems is the electrostatic precipitator. With this technology, dust particles being captured are imparted an electrostatic charge by means of a corona discharge. Charged dust particles are then driven to a region of high electric field which forces the particles onto a collector for capture. Several difficulties appear when this technology is adapted to the Martian atmospheric environment At the low atmospheric pressure of Mars, electrical breakdown occurs at much lower voltages than on Earth and corona discharge is difficult to sustain. In this paper, we report on our efforts to obtain a steady corona/glow discharge in a simulated Martian atmosphere of carbon dioxide at 9 millibars of pressure. We also present results on the design of a dust capture system under these atmospheric conditions.
Calle, C. I.↗
Dust Detector
We discuss a recent sounding rocket experiment which found charged dust in the Earth's tropical mesosphere. The dust detector was designed to measure small (5000 - 10000 amu.) charged dust particles, most likely of meteoric origin. A 5 km thick layer of positively charged dust was found at an altitude of 90 km, in the vicinity of an observed sporadic sodium layer and sporadic E layer. The observed dust was positively charged in the bulk of the dust layer, but was negatively charged near the bottom.
Kelley, M. C.↗
Electric Field Generation in Martian Dust Devils
Terrestrial dust devils are known to generate electric fields from the vertical separation of charged dust particles. The particles present within the dust devils on Mars may also be subject to similar charging processes and so likely contribute to electric field generation there as well. However, to date, no Marsin situ instrumentation has been deployed to measure electric field strength. In order to explore the electric environment of dust devils on Mars, the triboelectric dust charging physics from the MacroscopicTriboelectric Simulation (MTS) code has been coupled to the Mars Regional Atmospheric ModelingSystem (MRAMS). Using this model, we examine how macroscopic electric fields are generated within martian dust disturbances and attempt to quantify the time evolution of the electrodynamical system.Electric fields peak for several minutes within the dust devil simulations. The magnitude of the electric field is a strong function of the size of the particles present, the average charge on the particles and the number of particles lifted. Varying these parameters results in peak electric fields between tens of millivolts per meter and tens of kilovolts per meter.
Aeolian processes↗
Charged dust in the outer planetary magnetospheres. II - Trajectories and spatial distribution
The dynamics of the electrostatic disruption products of fragile interplanetary dust aggregates which are initially electrically charged on entering the Jovian plasmasphere is considered. The detailed orbits of these charged particles, which are shown to be confined to the equatorial plane, are computed. It is found that the fragments with radii typically about 1 micron are magnetogravitationally trapped within the plasmasphere due to the velocity-induced oscillation of their surface potentials. It is suggested that the distribution of micrometeroid dust within the Jovian magnetosphere, observed by Pioneer 10 and the recent Voyager, is a result of the magnetogravitational trapping and subsequent orbital evolution of these charged dust particles.
Hill, J. R.↗
Formation of Saturn's spokes
The theoretical requirements of the Goertz and Morfill (1983) model of the formation of spokes in the rings of Saturn are analyzed. Consideration is given to model predictions of dust particle size distribution, the optical depth of the spokes, and the radial speed of spoke evolution. It is shown that the electrostatic levitation of singly charged dust particles would be sufficient to cause the spokes to form. The maximum formation time for spokes of more than 10,000 km radial length is estimated to be less than five minutes. Observations of the scattering properties of the spokes showed general agreement with the theoretical calculations.
Goertz, C. K.↗
Electrostatic Precipitation of Dust in the Martian Atmosphere: Implications for the Utilization of Resources During Future Manned Exploration Missions
Future human missions to Mars will require the utilization of local resources for oxygen, fuel. and water. The In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) project is an active research endeavor at NASA to develop technologies that can enable cost effective ways to live off the land. The extraction of oxygen from the Martian atmosphere. composed primarily of carbon dioxide, is one of the most important goals of the Mars ISRU project. The main obstacle is the relatively large amount of dust present in the Martian atmosphere. This dust must be efficiently removed from atmospheric gas intakes for ISRU processing chambers. A common technique to achieve this removal on earth is by electrostatic precipitation, where large electrostatic fields are established in a localized region to precipitate and collect previously charged dust particles. This technique is difficult to adapt to the Martian environment, with an atmospheric pressure of about one-hundredth of the terrestrial atmosphere. At these low pressures. the corona discharges required to implant an electrostatic charge to the particles to be collected is extremely difficult to sustain and the corona easily becomes biopolar. which is unsuitable for particle charging. In this paper, we report on our successful efforts to establish a stable corona under Martian simulated conditions. We also present results on dust collecting efficiencies with an electrostatic precipitator prototype that could be effectively used on a future mission to the red planet
Calle, Carlos I.↗