Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions

Details Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions

Oct 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008georl..3519104f&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 35, Issue 19, CiteID L19104

Physics

Plasma Physics

9

Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Moon (1221), Space Plasma Physics: Plasma Interactions With Dust And Aerosols (2461), Physical Properties Of Rocks: Magnetic And Electrical Properties (0925), Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Interactions With Particles And Fields, Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Polar Regions

Scientific paper

NASA recently suggested the construction of a lunar outpost at the south pole near the rim of Shackleton crater. While there are a number of advantages to such a base, the region will have periods of time when there is limited or no solar illumination - thereby reducing photoelectric and solar wind plasma currents compared to most of the lunar dayside. As a consequence of this reduction in environmental currents, we find that human systems charged by contact electrification with the regolith (e.g., roving, excavation) will have increased difficulty in removing accumulated electric charge. This situation is especially true within the cold, shadowed regions adjacent to the terminator (such as within Shackleton crater itself) where there are essentially no photoelectric currents, vastly reduced plasma currents (due to the local wake) and a highly-reduced regolith conductivity. In essence, there is no pathway for accumulated charge to ``leak away'' or dissipate, thereby creating an electrostatic hazard. Calculated dissipation timescales are found to be ~1 millisecond in the weakly sunlit terminator region and dayside but could approach 100's of seconds in the ``current-starved'' shadowed regions.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1701236