Observation of saturnian stream particles in the interplanetary space

In January 2004 the dust instrument on the Cassini spacecraft detected the first high-velocity grain expelled from Saturn - a so-called stream particle. Prior to Cassini’s arrival at Saturn in July 2004 the instrument registered 801 faint impacts, whose impact signals showed the characteristic features of a high-velocity impact by a tiny grain. The impact rates as well as the directionality of the stream particles clearly correlate with the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The Cosmic Dust Analyser (CDA) registered stream particles dominantly during periods when the IMF direction was tangential to the solar wind flow and in the prograde direction. This finding provides clear evidence for a continuous outflow of tiny dust grains with similar properties from the saturnian system. Within the compressed part of co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) of the IMF, characterized by enhanced magnetic field strength and compressed solar wind plasma, CDA observed impact bursts of faster stream particles. We find that the bursts result from the stream particles being sped up inside the compressed CIR regions. Our analysis of the stream-particle dynamics inside rarefaction regions of the IMF implies that saturnian stream particles have sizes between 2 and 9 nm and exit the saturnian systems closely aligned with the planet’s ring plane with speeds in excess of 70 km s⁻¹.     

Lightcurves of 1999 Leonid Impact Flashes on the Moon

Optical flashes observed on the night side of the Moon during the 1999 Leonid meteor shower have attracted the interest of astronomers. These flashes are attributed to high-velocity impacts of Leonid meteoroids on the lunar surface. Here, we report five lunar flashes detected over a 5.8-h observation period centered at 11:25 UT on Nov. 18, 1999, in Japan. The flashes are characterized by an abrupt brightening. Three flashes exhibited afterglows that remained visible for at least 50 ms, which is longer than the duration predicted for radiation from an impact-generated plasma cloud. We show that thermal radiation from hot droplets ejected from the lunar surface during high-velocity impacts could be the cause of the afterglows.     

Hydrodynamical and radiative transfer modeling of meteoroid impacts into Saturn's rings

In a small hypervelocity impact, superheated gas and particles glow brightly with thermal emission for a brief time interval at short wavelengths; this phenomenon is referred to as an impact flash. Over the past decade, impact flashes have been observed on the Moon and in the laboratory in both the IR and visible portions of the spectrum. These phenomena have been used to constrain impactor parameters, such as impact size, velocity and composition. With the arrival of the Cassini spacecraft at Saturn, we embarked on a study of impact flashes in Saturn's rings. We present results on the feasibility of observing impact flashes and therefore estimating the flux of meteoroids impacting Saturn's rings using Cassini's Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS). Our modeling effort is two-fold. We start by simulating impacts using the CTH hydrodynamical code. Impacts involve an icy ring particle and a serpentine meteoroid, modeled with the ANEOS equation of state. The objects are centimeters to meters in diameter and collide at 30 to 50 km s⁻¹. We then use the resulting temperatures and densities of the impact plumes in a radiative transfer calculation. We calculate bound-free, free-free, electron scattering and negative ion opacities along a line-of-sight through the center of each impact plume. Our model has shown that impact flashes will not be seen with the UVIS because (1) the plumes are optically thick when their central temperatures are high, with photosphere temperatures too cool to emit observable UV flux and (2) when the plumes become optically thin, even the hottest region of the plume is too cool to observe in the UV. This corroborates the lack of UVIS impact flash detections to date. Impact flashes are not likely to be seen by other Cassini instruments because of the short lifetimes of the plumes.     

Algorithms for Lunar Flash Video Search, Measurement, and Archiving

Lunar meteoroid impact flashes provide a method to estimate the flux of the large meteoroid flux and thus their hazard to spacecraft. Although meteoroid impacts on the Moon have been detected using video methods for over a decade, the difficulty of manually searching hours of video for the rare, extremely brief impact flashes has discouraged the technique’s systematic implementation. A prototype has been developed for the purpose of automatically searching lunar video records for impact flashes, eliminating false detections, editing the returned possible flashes, and archiving and documenting the results. Several utilities for measurement, analysis, and location of the flashes on the moon included in the program are demonstrated. Application of the program to a year’s worth of lunar observations is discussed along with examples of impact flashes.     

Discriminating contamination from particle components in spectra of Cassini's dust detector CDA

The Chemical Analyser subsystem of the Cosmic Dust Analyser (CDA) aboard the Cassini spacecraft performs in situ measurements of the chemical composition of dust in space. The instrument records time-of-flight mass spectra of cations, extracted from the impact cloud that is created by high-velocity particle impacts onto the detector target. Thus, the spectra not only show signals of particle components but also of ions from the target material and target contamination. The aim of this work is to determine which non-particle ions are to be expected in the spectra obtained in space operation at Saturn.We present an analysis of the contamination state of the instrument's impact target. Beside investigations of the purity of the rhodium target surface, spectra from CDA calibration experiments at the dust accelerator facility are evaluated with regard to contamination signatures. Furthermore, contamination mass lines in spectra obtained by impacts of Jovian and Saturnian dust stream particles are analysed. Due to their small size and high speed, stream particle impacts predominantly produce ions from the target material and therefore the spectra are excellent probes of the contamination state of the target operating in space. With the exception of adsorbed hydrogen and carbon, the level of contamination is very low.Implications for CDA spectra of Saturnian E ring particle impacts are derived. The findings confirm the published interpretations. The low level of alkali metal contamination implies a significant sodium contribution in the composition of E ring ice particles. Additionally, ionisation thresholds for the occurrence of contamination mass lines can be utilised to set limits for the impact velocity.     

The effective technique of the charged particles background discrimination in the atmospheric Cherenkov light detectors

It is shown that parameters of flashes, detected by multichannel image cameras of Cherenkov detectors with closed lids are close to those of Cherenkov flashes initiated by VHE gamma-quanta in the Earth atmosphere. Even after application of criteria for gamma-like events selection a considerable part of those flashes may be misclassified and accepted as gammas. Since the flashes of this kind are detected also during normal measurements with the opened lids of image cameras it just increases the background and, as a consequence, decreases the detector sensitivity even when one uses an anticoincidence scintillator shield around the camera (its efficiency is about 75 %). The use of detectors consisting of two (or more) sections no less than 20–30 m apart permits us to avoid the detection of both muon and local charged particles flashes in the course of observations.     

A model of the origin of the Jovian ring

Starting with the assumption that the micron-sized particles which make up the bright Jovian ring are fragments of erosive collisions between micrometeoroid projectiles and large parent bodies, a physical model of the ring is calculated. The physics of high-velocity impacts leads to a well-defined size distribution for the ejecta, the optical properties of which can be compared with observation. This gives information on the ejecta material (very likely silicates) and on the maximum size of the projectiles, which turns out to be about 0.1 μm. The origin of these projectiles is discussed, and it is concluded that dust particles ejected in volcanic activity from Io are the most likely source. The impact model leads quite naturally to a distribution in ejecta sizes, which in turn determines the structure of the ring. The largest ejecta form the bright ring, medium-sized ejecta form a disk extending all the way to the Jovian atmosphere, and the small ejecta form a faint halo, the structure of which is dominated by electromagnetic forces. In addition to the Io particles, interaction with interplanetary micrometeoroids is also considered. It is concluded that μm-sized ejecta from this source have ejection velocities which are several orders of magnitude too large, and thus cannot contribute significantly to the observed bright ring. However, the total mass ejection rate is significant. Destruction of these ejecta by the Io particles may provide additional particles for the halo.     

Heating and vaporization during hypervelocity particle impact

Temperatures of the vapour produced during hypervelocity particle impacts are estimated from measurements of the spectra of impact light flashes. Temperatures between 2500 and 5000 K, depending on the impact velocity, were calculated. Measurements of the light flash intensity as a function of residual gas pressure in the target chamber are shown. From the increase of the light intensity with increasing pressure, the number of atoms vaporized during the impact process was estimated.     

Physical processes in Jupiter's ring: Clues to its origin by Jove!

The particles making up the Jovian ring may be debris which has been excavated by micrometeoroids from the surfaces of many unseen (R ? 1 km) parent bodies (or “mooms” as we will occasionally call them) residing in the ring. A distribution of particle sizes exists: large objects are sources for the small visible ring particles and also account for the absorption of charged particles noted by Pioneer; the small grains are generated by micrometeoroid impacts, by jostling collisions among different-sized particles, and by self-fracturing due to electrostatic stresses. The latter are most effective in removing surface asperities to thereby produce smooth and crudely equidimensional grains. The presence of intermediate-sized (radius of several to several hundred microns) objects is also expected; these particles will have a total area comparable to the area of the visible ring particles. The nominal size (?2 μm) of the visible particles derived from their forward-scattering characteristics is caused, at least in part, by a selection effect but may also reflect a fundamental grain size or the preferential generation of certain sizes along with the destruction of others. The tiny ring particles have short lifetimes (?10²?10³ years) limited by erosion due to sputtering and meteoroid impacts. Plasma drag significantly modifies orbits in ～10² years but Poynting-Robertson drag is not effective (T_PR ～ 10⁵ years) in removing debris. The ring width is influenced by the distribution of source satellites, by the initial ejection velocity off them, by electromagnetic scattering, and by solar radiation forces. In the absence of electromagnetic forces, debris will reimpact a mother satellite or collide with another particle in about 10 years. A relative drift between different-sized particles, caused by a lessened effective gravity due to the Lorentz force, will substantially shorten these times to less than a month. The ring thickness is determined by a balance between initial conditions (abetted perhaps by electromagnetic scattering) and collisional damping; existence of the “halo” over the diffuse disk compared to its relative absence over the bright ring indicates the presence of mooms in the bright ring but not in the faint disk. Small satellites (R ? 1 km) will not reaccumulate colliding dust grains whereas satellites having the size of J14 or J16 may be able to do so, depending upon their precise shape, size, density, and location. Visible ring structure could indicate separate source satellites. The particles in the faint inner disk are delivered from the bright ring by orbital evolution principally under plasma drag. The halo is comprised of small particles (～0.1 μm) partially drawn out of the faint disk by interactions with the tilted Jovian magnetic field.     

Identification of “small” dust impacts in the Ulysses dust detector data

Since October 1990, 3 weeks after the launch of the Ulysses spacecraft, the dust detector onboard recorded impacts of cosmic dust particles. Besides dust impacts, the detector recorded noise from a variety of sources. So far, a very rigid scheme had been applied to eliminate noise from impact data. The data labeled “big” dust impacts previously led to the identification of interstellar dust and of dust streams from Jupiter. The analysis presented here is concerned with data of signals of small amplitudes which are strongly contaminated by noise. Impacts identified in this data set are called “small” impacts. It is shown that dust impacts can be clearly distinguished from noise for most of the events due to the multi-coincidence characteristics of the instrument. 516 “small” impacts have been identified. For an additional 119 events, strong arguments can be given that they are probably small dust impacts. Thereby, the total number of dust impacts increases from 333 to 968 in the time period from 28 October 1990 to 31 December 1992. This increase permits a better statistical analysis, especially of the Jupiter dust streams which consist mostly of small and fast particles. Additional dust streams have been identified between the already known streams before and after Jupiter flyby. The dependence of the deflection from the Jupiter direction, the stream intensity and width on Jupiter distance support the assertion that they have been emitted from the Jovian system. The masses of the 635 “small” dust particles range from 6 × 10⁻¹⁷ to 3 × 10⁻¹⁰ g with a mean value of 1 × 10⁻¹² g, which compares to a range from 1 × 10⁻¹⁶ to 4 × 10⁻⁹ g with a mean value of 2 × 10⁻¹¹ g for the previously identified 333 “big” dust particles.     

Comet 81P/Wild 2: The size distribution of finer (sub‐10 μm) dust collected by the Stardust spacecraft

Abstract– The fluence of dust particles <10 μm in diameter was recorded by impacts on aluminum foil of the NASA Stardust spacecraft during a close flyby of comet 81P/Wild 2 in 2004. Initial interpretation of craters for impactor particle dimensions and mass was based upon laboratory experimental simulations using projectiles less than >10 μm in diameter and the resulting linear relationship of projectile to crater diameter was extrapolated to smaller sizes. We now describe a new experimental calibration program firing very small monodisperse silica projectiles (470 nm–10 μm) at approximately 6 km s^?1. The results show an unexpected departure from linear relationship between 1 and 10 μm. We collated crater measurement data and, where applicable, impactor residue data for 596 craters gathered during the postmission preliminary examination phase. Using the new calibration, we recalculate the size of the particle responsible for each crater and hence reinterpret the cometary dust size distribution. We find a greater flux of small particles than previously reported. From crater morphology and residue composition of a subset of craters, the internal structure and dimensions of the fine dust particles are inferred and a “maximum‐size” distribution for the subgrains composing aggregate particles is obtained. The size distribution of the small particles derived directly from the measured craters peaks at approximately 175 nm, but if this is corrected to allow for aggregate grains, the peak in subgrain sizes is at <100 nm.     

Mass distribution of Perseid meteoroids

An analysis of the Perseid meteoroid mass distribution is given. It is shown that particle mass distributions are qualitatively the same along the entire orbit of the stream. The extra minima in the cross sections of the stream at the ascending and descending branches of the curve of the parameter S indicate a jetlike nature of the stream. The variations of the nodal longitudes of maximum stream activity versus the minimum observed mass of meteoroids are found along the entire orbit of the stream. The positions of maximum activity for particles with minimum detectable masses larger than 1 and 10^?3 g are shifted by 1.4 degrees in solar longitude, with larger longitudes for smaller particles.     

Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer Modeling of Lightning Observed in Galileo Images of Jupiter

We study lightning on Jupiter and the clouds illuminated by the lightning using images taken by the Galileo orbiter. The Galileo images have a resolution of ∼25 km/pixel and are able to resolve the shape of single lightning spots, which have half widths (radii) at half the maximum intensity in the range 45-80 km. We compare the shape and width of lightning flashes in the images with simulated flashes produced by our 3D Monte Carlo light-scattering model.The model calculates Monte Carlo scattering of photons in a 3D opacity distribution. During each scattering event, light is partially absorbed. The new direction of the photon after scattering is chosen according to a Henyey-Greenstein phase function. An image from each direction is produced by accumulating photons emerging from the cloud in a small range (bins) of emission angles. The light source is modeled either as a point or a vertical line.A plane-parallel cloud layer does not always fit the data. In some cases the cloud over the light source appears to resemble cumulus clouds on Earth. Lightning is estimated to occur at least as deep as the bottom of the expected water cloud. For the six flashes studied, we find that the clouds above the lightning are optically thick (τ>5). Jovian flashes are more regular and circular than the largest terrestrial flashes observed from space. On Jupiter there is nothing equivalent to the 30-40-km horizontal flashes that are seen on Earth.     

Orbital and physical characteristics of micrometeoroids in the inner solar system as observed by Helios 1

The Helios 1 spacecraft was launched in December 1974 into a heliocentric orbit of 0.3 AU perihelion distance. Helios 2 followed one year later on a similar orbit. Both spaceprobes carry on board micrometeoroid experiments each of which contains two sensors with a total sensitive area of 121 cm². To date, only preliminary data are available from Helios 2. Therefore the results presented here mainly apply to data from Helios 1. The ecliptic sensor of Helios 1 measures dust particles which have trajectories with elevations from ?45° to + 55° with respect to the ecliptic plane. The south sensor detects dust particles with trajectory elevations from ?90° (ecliptic south-pole) to ?4°. The ecliptic sensor is covered by a thin film (3000 Å parylene coated with 750 Å aluminium) as protection against solar radiation. The other sensor is shielded by the spacecraft rim from direct sunlight and has an open aperture. Micrometeoroids are detected by the electric charge produced upon impact. During the first 6 orbits of Helios 1 around the sun the experiment registered a total of 168 meteoroids, 52 particles were detected by the ecliptic sensor and 116 particles by the south sensor. This excess of impacts on the south sensor with regard to the impacts on the ecliptic sensor is due predominantly to small impacts which are characterized by small pulse heights of the charge signals. But also large impacts were statistically significantly more abundant on the south sensor than on the ecliptic sensor. Most impacts on the ecliptic sensor were observed when it was pointing in the direction of motion of Helios (apex direction). In contrast to that the south sensor detected most impacts when it was facing in between the solar and antapex direction. Orbit analysis showed that the “apex” particles which are predominantly detected by the ecliptic sensor have eccentricities e < 0.4 or semi-major axes a ? 0.5 AU. From a comparison with corresponding data from the south sensor it is concluded that the average inclination f of “apex” particles is -i < 30°. The excess of impacts on the south sensor, called “eccentric” particles, have orbit eccentricities e > 0.4 and semimajor axes a > 0.5AU. β-meteoroids leaving the solar system on hyperbolic orbits are directly identified by the observed imbalance of outgoing (away from the sun) and ingoing particles. It is shown that “eccentric” particles, due to their orbital characteristics, should be observable also by the ecliptic sensor. Since they have not been detected by this sensor it is concluded that the only instrumental difference between both sensors, i.e. the entrance film in front of the ecliptic sensor, prevented them from entering it. A comparison with penetration studies proved that particles which do not penetrate the entrance film must have bulk densities ρ(g/cm³) below an upper density limit ρ_max. It is shown that approximately 30% of the “eccentric” particles have densities below ρ_max = 1 g/cm³.     

Velocity dispersion in particulate disks with size distribution

Quasi-equilibrium solutions for the pre-planetary disk are studied in terms of Hämeen-Anttila's theory (1984) of collisional, self-gravitating systems. The distribution of particle sizes is assumed to follow simple power-law distributions, with a power index in the range of 1.5–5.0. The treatment includes mutual impacts with a velocity dependent coefficient of restitution, as well as gravitational encounters with dynamical friction. The mean gravitational field of the disk is also taken into account. The results indicate that the energy(equi)-partition depends mainly on the index of size distribution, but is also affected by the optical thickness of the system, as well as on the vertical thickness as compared to the particle size. The vertical component of the gravitational field is found to be important, especially when the mass of the system is concentrated on the large particles.     

Experimental impact features in Stardust aerogel: How track morphology reflects particle structure,composition, and density

Abstract– The Stardust collector shows diverse aerogel track shapes created by impacts of cometary dust. Tracks have been classified into three broad types (A, B, and C), based on relative dimensions of the elongate “stylus” (in Type A “carrots”) and broad “bulb” regions (Types B and C), with occurrence of smaller “styli” in Type B. From our experiments, using a diverse suite of projectile particles shot under Stardust cometary encounter conditions onto similar aerogel targets, we describe differences in impactor behavior and aerogel response resulting in the observed range of Stardust track shapes. We compare tracks made by mineral grains, natural and artificial aggregates of differing subgrain sizes, and diverse organic materials. Impacts of glasses and robust mineral grains generate elongate, narrow Type A tracks (as expected), but with differing levels of abrasion and lateral branch creation. Aggregate particles, both natural and artificial, of a wide range of compositions and volatile contents produce diverse Type B or C shapes. Creation of bulbous tracks is dependent upon impactor internal structure, grain size distribution, and strength, rather than overall grain density or content of volatile components. Nevertheless, pure organic particles do create Type C, or squat Type A* tracks, with length to width ratios dependent upon both specific organic composition and impactor grain size. From comparison with the published shape data for Stardust aerogel tracks, we conclude that the abundant larger Type B tracks on the Stardust collector represent impacts by particles similar to our carbonaceous chondrite meteorite powders.     

GRAIN SIZE AND PETROGRAPHY OF C2 AND C3 CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES

Grain size frequency distributions of the ≥ 0.1 mm size fractions have been measured for 19 C2 and C3 carbonaceous chondrites (7 CM2, 5 CO3, 6 CV3 and 1 CV2). The grain size frequency distribution curves and summary statistics are remarkably similar for the CM2 and CO3 meteorites, with ranges of median grain size from 2.36φ to 2.67φ and graphic mean grain size from 2.20φ to 2.59φ. The CV3 specimens are distinctly coarser than the CM2 and CO3 meteorites and have a wider range of grain size summary statistics. The grain size frequency data for fluid drop chondrules and for lithic chondrules show approximately the same size frequency characteristics as the more abundant particles in each of the petrologic subgroups. If the chondrules and other particles were produced by different mechanisms or in different environments, an extremely effective size sorting process is required to produce the observed grain size frequency distributions. Alternatively, most of the particles and the observed grain size frequency distributions might have been produced by small impacts into an immature, accretionary regolith. The strong similarity between the grain sizes of the CM2 and CO3 meteorites, together with previously recognized chemical similarities, suggest a genetic relationship between the two petrologic subgroups. The grain size frequency distributions of chondrules and other particles in CM2 and CO3 meteorites are different from those found previously in ordinary chondrites     

On the rotation of a moonlet embedded in planetary rings

We examine the rotation of a small moonlet embedded in planetary rings caused by impacts of ring particles, using analytic calculation and numerical orbital integration for the three-body problem. Taking into account the Rayleigh distribution of particles' orbital eccentricities and inclinations, we evaluate both systematic and random components of rotation, where the former arises from an average of a large number of small impacts and the latter is contribution from large impacts. Calculations for parameter values corresponding to inner parts of Saturn's rings show that a moonlet would spin slowly in the prograde direction if most impactors are small particles whose velocity dispersion is comparable to or smaller than the moonlet's escape velocity. However, we also find that the effect of the random component can be significant, if the velocity dispersion of particles is larger and/or impacts of large particles comparable to the moonlet's size are common: in this case, both prograde and retrograde rotations can be expected. In the case of a small moonlet embedded in planetary rings of equal-sized particles, we find that the systematic component dominates the moonlet rotation when m/M?0.1 (m and M are the mass of a particle and a moonlet, respectively), while the random component is dominant when m/M?0.3. We derive the condition for the random component to dominate moonlet rotation on the basis of our results of three-body orbital integration, and confirm agreement with N-body simulation.     

Simulations of dense planetary rings: IV. Spinning self-gravitating particles with size distribution

Previous self-gravitating simulations of dense planetary rings are extended to include particle spins. Both identical particles as well as systems with a modest range of particle sizes are examined. For a ring of identical particles, we find that mutual impact velocity is always close to the escape velocity of the particles, even if the total rms velocity dispersion of the system is much larger, due to collective motions associated to wakes induced by near-gravitational instability or by viscous overstability. As a result, the spin velocity (i.e., the product of the particle radius and the spin frequency) maintained by mutual impacts is also of the order of the escape velocity, provided that friction is significant. For the size distribution case, smaller particles have larger impact velocities and thus larger spin velocities, particularly in optically thick rings, since small particles move rather freely between wakes. Nevertheless, the maximum ratio of spin velocities between the smallest and largest particles, as well as the ratio for translational velocities, stays below about 5 regardless of the width of the size distribution. Particle spin state is one of the important factors affecting the temperature difference between the lit and unlit face of Saturn's rings. Our results suggest that, to good accuracy, the spin frequency is inversely proportional to the particle size. Therefore, the mixing ratio of fast rotators to slow rotators on the scale of the thermal relaxation time increases with the width of the particle size distribution. This will offer means to constrain the particle size distribution with the systematic thermal infrared observations carried by the Cassini probe.     

A quasi-one-dimensional velocity regime of super-thermal electron stream propagation through the solar corona

The propagation of an inhomogeneous-stream of fast electrons through the corona-the type III radio burst source - is considered. It is shown, that the angular spectrum width of plasma waves excited by the stream is defined both by Landau damping by particles of the diffuse component and by damping (in the region of large phase velocities) by particles of the stream itself having large pitch angles. The regime of quasi-one-dimensional diffusion in the velocity space is realized only in the presence of a sufficiently dense diffuse component of super-thermal particles and only for a sufficiently large inhomogeneity scale of the stream. A large scale of the stream space profile is formed, evidently, close to the region of injection of super-thermal particles. It is the result of stripping of part of the electrons from the stream front to its slower part due to essential non-one-dimensionality of the particle diffusion in velocity space.Results obtained may explain, in particular, the evolution of a stream particle angular spectrum in the generation region of type III radio bursts observed by spacecrafts (Lin et al., 1981). For the relatively low energetic part of the stream, the oblique plasma wave stabilization by a diffuse component results in a quasi-one-dimensional regime of diffusion. The latter conserves the beam-like structure of this part of the stream.