Nanodust in the Solar System: Discoveries and Interpretations

ISBN-13: 9783642436437 / Angielski / Miękka / 2014 / 222 str.

Ingrid Mann; Nicole Meyer-Vernet; Andrzej Czechowski

Opis

Nanodust and nanometer-sized structures are important components of many objects in space. Nanodust is observed in evolved stars, young stellar objects, protoplanetary disks, and dust debris disks. Within the solar system, nanodust is observed with in-situ experiments from spacecraft. Nanometer-sized substructures are found in the collected cometary and interplanetary dust particles and in meteorites. Understanding the growth and destruction of dust, its internal evolution, as well as the optical properties and the detection of nanoparticles is of fundamental importance for astrophysical research. This book provides a focused description of the current state of research and experimental results concerning nanodust in the solar system. It addresses three major questions: What is nanodust? How was it discovered in the solar system? And how do we interpret the observations? The book serves as a self-contained reference work for space researchers and provides solid information on nanodust in cosmic environments for researchers working in astrophysics or in other fields of physics.

Spis treści

Nano dust in the solar system: its formation in the solar system dust cloud.- Dynamical and compositional properties of Jovian and Saturnian stream particles.- Nano dust detection near planets and near Earth orbit with plasma wave measurements.- Nano dust measurement with the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer.- Nano dust dynamics in the interplanetary medium.- Dust charge estimates from large particle models and its extrapolation to nano scales.- Growth mechanism and singular phenomena of nanoparticles in view of the current solar System.- Nano dust properties derived from interstellar medium observations and their implications for nanoparticles in the solar system.- Erosion processes affecting dust grains.- Interactions of nano dust: x-ray emission and charge exchange.- Summary & Discussion.