Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufm.p13h..06h&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #P13H-06
Other
[6250] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Moon
Scientific paper
The lunar surface is an excellent laboratory to study dusty plasma processes that are relevant to all airless planetary objects. The solar wind and UV radiation lead to charging of exposed surfaces, and the formation of plasma sheaths above them. Near-surface intense electric fields are thought to be capable of mobilizing and transporting small charged dust particles. Remote sensing and in situ observations indicating dust transport on the Moon date back to the Apollo era and remain highly controversial. There are many unresolved issues about the physical processes that have to this point prevented the development of a coherent explanation for the existing observations. Dust transport on airless bodies can significantly alter our interpretation of spectral identification of asteroids, the small-scale surface features of Mercury, and the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. Understanding the behavior of dust laden plasma sheaths is of interest in basic plasma and planetary sciences, and holds the key to efficient dust hazard mitigation for the long-term use of optical and mechanical equipment used for robotic and/or human exploration. NASA Lunar Science Institute's Colorado Center of Lunar Dust is focused on experimental and theoretical investigations of dusty plasmas, and the effects of hypervelocity dust impacts on surfaces. This presentation will describe a series of small-scale laboratory experiments investigating the properties of photoelectron sheaths, and the emergence of intense electric fields near boundaries of lit and dark surfaces and regions shielded and exposed to the solar wind plasma flow. Our progress in the analysis and interpretation of the laboratory observations using simple analytic models and complex plasma simulation tools indicates that these models can be used to predict the expected properties of the lunar near-surface environment with increasing confidence. Based on our laboratory and theoretical efforts, we will also report on the status of the science, measurement and instrument requirements for a Lunar Dust Transport Package (LDTP) to be placed on the lunar surface. LDTP will measure the time-dependent characteristics of the plasma sheath, and observe both the high-speed impacts of interplanetary and interstellar dust, and the putative fluxes of low-speed, highly charged lunar dust particles. LDTP will bring closure to decades-long open issues about dusty plasma effects on the lunar surface, and all other airless bodies in our solar system.
Brain Dave
Horanyi Mihaly
Kempf Sascha
Munsat T.
Robertson S. H.
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