Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p32a..04h&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P32A-04
Physics
Plasma Physics
[6213] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Dust, [6250] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Moon, [7859] Space Plasma Physics / Transport Processes
Scientific paper
Lunar dust mobilization and transport remains a debated issue. There are several historical data sets from in situ and remote sensing observations that indicate the presence of lofted dust populations, possibly reaching high altitudes over the lunar surface. The expected charge density of the surface, combined with the relatively weak electric fields in a UV produced plasma sheath on the dayside, seem insufficient to explain these observations. While the surface potentials are much higher on the nightside, the very low plasma density results in a large screening distance and, hence, an even weaker electric field. In addition to solar wind plasma and UV radiation, the lunar surface is also exposed to the continual bombardment by interplanetary dust particles. Based on measurements at Earth, the Moon is expected to collect about 5×103 kg/day of dust which hits the surface at high speeds (>> km/s). These impacts generate secondary particles with a typical mass yield of 103 - 104 that form a permanently present dust exosphere about the Moon. In addition, these impacts also generate neutral and plasma clouds. Impact-generated neutrals are suspected to be one of the major sources of the tenuous lunar atmosphere, in addition to out-gassing and sputtering by solar wind ions. The impact plasma cloud is expected to expand, cool, and recombine, but for a short period of time it will significantly increase the plasma density near the surface, as well as the surface charge density. The combination of these is expected to result in a highly increased efficiency to mobilize and loft small charged grains from the surface. We report on the status of the modeling of the impact generated plasma clouds, as well as on the planned series of experiments to observe its properties at the dust accelerator facility of the recently established NASA Lunar Science Institute: Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies. We will also discuss the possible observational opportunities to map the properties of the lunar dust environment using the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) instrument onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft to be launched in early 2012.
Horanyi Mihaly
Munsat T.
Robertson S. H.
Sternovsky Zoltan
Wang Xinhua
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