Ablation Rates of Organic Compounds in Cosmic Dust and Resulting Changes in Mechanical Properties During Atmospheric Entry

A new experimental system is described for studying the pyrolysis of refractory organic constituents in cosmic dust during atmospheric entry. The kinetics meteoritic fragments (CM2 and CV3 carbonaceous chondrites, radius = 36–100 ?m) were measured by mass spectrometric detection CO2 SO2 at temperatures between 625 1300 K, with most carbon being lost 700 800 K. complex time-resolved kinetic behavior consistent two components—one significantly more than other, which probably correspond to insoluble soluble fractions, respectively. temperature-dependent rates then incorporated into Leeds Chemical Ablation Model, demonstrates that should be detectable using a high performance/large aperture radar. Atomic force microscopy was used show although residual particles became brittle after pyrolysis, they also slightly harder, withstanding stresses are least three orders magnitude higher would encountered This suggests (radius <100 will not fragment entry atmosphere as result subset slow-moving, low density mostly from Jupiter-family comets could fragment.