Deflection of the Local Interstellar Dust Flow by Solar Radiation Pressure

Landgraf, Markus; Augustsson, K.; Grün, E.; Gustafson, B. Å. S.

doi:10.1126/science.286.5448.2319

Cited by 68 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…It was found that the dominating flux consists of approximately 0.3 μm particles that had a maximum β-value of >1 because an exclusion zone of small particles reached out to about 3 AU (Landgraf et al 1999a). Measurements by this spacecraft found a long-term variation in the ISD flow by about a factor 3.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Therefore, a set of measurements at different positions, times, and/or particle masses will constrain the β and Q/m values for these particles, so it will constrain the physical and compositional properties of interstellar grains. Previously Landgraf et al (1999a) succeeded at such an analysis using the effect of β on the mass distribution. Figure 15 gives an overview of the parameters of the performed simulations.…”

Section: Overview Of Used β and Q/m-valuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Downstream from the Sun, the scattering by solar gravitation and radiation pressure forces becomes strong and straight line trajectories can no longer be used as proxies for interstellar particle trajectories. The existence of the β-cones may help us restrict ISD particle properties by comparing the observations of the flux, density, direction, and speed of the particles, with the theoretically calculated values (Landgraf et al 1999a). Such particle-dynamics Fig.…”

Section: Radiation Pressure Forcementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The β-curve for astronomical silicates (Gustafson 1994) is adapted to the Ulysses observations to have a maximum β-value of β max = 1.6 (Landgraf et al 1999a). This curve (see Fig.…”

Section: Particle Properties β and Q/mmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The flow of interstellar dust into the solar system

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Kempf

et al. 2012

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Context. Interstellar dust (ISD) is a major component in the formation and evolution of stars, stellar systems, and planets. Astronomical observations of interstellar extinction and polarization, and of the infrared emission of the dust, are the most commonly used technique for characterizing interstellar dust. Besides this, the interstellar dust from the local interstellar cloud enters the solar system owing to the relative motion of the Sun with respect to this cloud. Once in the solar system, in-situ observations can be made by spacecraft using impact ionization detectors and time-of-flight spectrometers like the ones flown on the Cassini, Ulysses, and Galileo, spacecrafts. Also a sample return can be done, as in the Stardust mission. Once in the solar system, the trajectories of these dust grains are shaped by gravitational, solar radiation pressure, and Lorentz forces. The Lorentz forces result from the interaction of the charged dust particles with the interplanetary magnetic field. The ISD densities in the solar system thus depend both on the location in the solar system and on time, correlated to the solar cycle. Aims. This paper aims at giving the reader insight into the flow patterns of ISD when it moves through the solar system. This is useful for designing future in-situ or sample return missions or for knowing whether for specific missions, simplified assumptions can be used for the dust flux and direction, or whether full simulations are needed. Methods. We characterize the flow of ISD through the solar system using simulations of the dust trajectories. We start from the simple case without Lorentz forces and expand to the full simulation. We pay attention to the different ways of modeling the interplanetary magnetic field and discuss the influence of the dust parameters on the resulting flow patterns. Dust densities, fluxes, and directionalities are derived from the trajectory simulations. Different graphics representations are used to gain insight into the flow patterns. As an illustration of how the model can be used, we predict the fluxes and directionalities of the ISD for the Cassini mission. Results. The characteristics of the flow of ISD through the solar system have been investigated to gain insight in the patterns of the flow. The modeling can also be used for predicting dust fluxes for different space missions or planets, and for understanding spacecraft measurements, such as those from Ulysses, Cassini, and Stardust.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Overview Of Used β and Q/m-valuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Radiation Pressure Forcementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The β-curve for astronomical silicates (Gustafson 1994) is adapted to the Ulysses observations to have a maximum β-value of β max = 1.6 (Landgraf et al 1999a). This curve (see Fig.…”

Section: Particle Properties β and Q/mmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The flow of interstellar dust into the solar system

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Kempf

et al. 2012

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“…1). For this we assumed a β-curve based on the "astronomical silicates" curve from Gustafson (1994) but with β-values adapted to the results of Landgraf et al (1999) who assume densities of 2000 kg m −3 . We call this the β-curve of the reference material or the "reference curve" in this paper.…”

Section: Gravity and Radiation Pressure Onlymentioning

confidence: 99%

The filtering of interstellar dust in the solar system

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et al. 2013

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Context. Theoretical predictions demonstrate that small (<0.1 µm) interstellar grains are mostly excluded from reaching the planetary system by electromagnetic interactions in the heliopause region and in the inner heliosphere. Bigger interstellar grains have been recorded in the planetary system by dust measurements on board Ulysses and other spacecraft. It was found that the interstellar dust flux is modulated by the interplanetary magnetic field. Aims. The objective of this study is to analyze the heliospheric filtering of the interstellar dust flow through the solar system and throughout the solar cycle. In the heliosphere the dynamics of interstellar dust is governed by the gravitational pull of the Sun, by the repulsion of solar radiation, and by the deflection caused by the interaction of the charged interstellar dust (ISD) grains with the interplanetary magnetic field. These interactions are described by the parameters of the radiation pressure constant β and the charge-to-mass ratio Q/m, which depend on the particle's size, physical properties, and composition. A previous paper studied the flow characteristics of ISD moving through the solar system were studied. In this follow-up paper, we focus on how the ISD size distribution varies during its passage through the solar system. Methods. In a parametric study of 70 different β and Q/m values, we calculated interstellar dust trajectories starting at the boundary of the heliosphere with starting times spread over a complete solar cycle of 22 years. Results. As a result we obtained the interstellar dust flux and dust speed for these times and positions and demonstrate the effects of the filtering on the dust size distributions. The size distribution of ISD observed at any time and at any position in the planetary system is strongly modified from when it entered the heliosphere. Peaks in relative flux of 10 times the original flux possibly depend on the grain size and place and time in the solar system. We did a detailed study of three cases of the flux and size distribution of interstellar grains reaching the planets Saturn, Jupiter, and the main-belt asteroid Ceres. These cases are used to get a first idea of what a dust detector or collector on a mission to these bodies might see of ISD.

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Revisiting STEREO interplanetary and interstellar dust flux and mass estimates

et al. 2015

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Two recent events have motivated a second look at estimates for the flux and mass of approximately micron‐radius interplanetary and interstellar dust observed by the twin STEREO spacecraft. First, the signals interpreted as nanometer dust impacts on STEREO‐A have nearly ceased, even though STEREO‐B continues to observe these signals unabated. Second, a recent laboratory dust accelerator experimental campaign has quantified the charge release associated with hypervelocity dust impacts on materials specific to STEREO. The first event enables an investigation of the extent to which nanometer dust signals influence estimates of micron‐radius dust flux. The second event allows an evaluation of how impact charge release values specific to STEREO materials influence dust mass estimates. Revised estimates based on these considerations yield higher fluxes and similar masses for micron‐radius interplanetary dust compared to prior studies, as well as lower fluxes and higher masses for interstellar micron‐radius dust compared to prior studies. The revised flux and mass estimates reported here differ by less than a factor of 4 from those reported in previous work, demonstrating that STEREO‐derived estimates for the flux and mass of micron‐radius dust are largely robust to spacecraft material charge yields and the disappearance of nanometer dust signals.

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Deflection of the Local Interstellar Dust Flow by Solar Radiation Pressure

Cited by 68 publications

References 25 publications

The flow of interstellar dust into the solar system

The flow of interstellar dust into the solar system

The filtering of interstellar dust in the solar system

Revisiting STEREO interplanetary and interstellar dust flux and mass estimates

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