Gravitomagnetic Separation of Bipolar Charged Martian Dust
نویسنده
چکیده
The possible role of magnetic anomalies on Mars in gravitational enhancement of separation of charged dust is considered. It is known that charges become spatially separated by differential transport and gravitational sedimentation because the charge polarity of particles of dust depends on the particle size—where smaller particles are negatively charged and larger particles are positively charged; thus, smaller and predominantly negative charged particles populate higher regions of dust devils, and larger, positively charged particles fall to the ground. This study shows that gravitational separation could be enhanced by the presence of magnetic anomalies on Mars owing to the generation of a type of magnetobarrier that prevents gravitational settling of charged dust particles beyond a certain size threshold.
منابع مشابه
Electrical discharges and broadband radio emission by Martian dust devils and dust storms
[1] Triboelectric charging of saltating and colliding sand and dust particles produces strong electric fields in terrestrial dust devils and dust storms. Acceleration of the charged particles, as well as microdischarges between them, generates wideband electromagnetic radiation. Similar phenomena are expected to be ubiquitous on Mars, because Martian dust devils and dust storms are larger, stro...
متن کاملDust at the Martian moons and in the circummartian space
The paper provides the current understanding of the dust particle dynamics near the surface and in the circummatrian space of the Martian moons based on existing models developed for airless and nonmagnetized bodies. In particular we discuss the response of the regolith of the Martian moons to exposure to radiation, the dynamics of charged dust on their surfaces, their plasma environments, the ...
متن کاملQuasi-electrostatic field analysis and simulation of Martian and terrestrial dust devils
[1] Recent experimental and modeling studies show that large quasi-static electric fields (2–20 kV/m) can be developed in a Martian or terrestrial dust devil as a result of contact electrification and charge separation of dust grains with different sizes and compositions. Electric discharging occurs when the maximum electric field reaches breakdown values ( 20 kV/m on Mars and 3 MV/m on Earth, ...
متن کاملDetecting electrical activity from Martian dust storms
We present a model addressing the possible electrification of Martian dust storms based on the effective electrical charging of an individual dust grain. An upper charge bound on a grain can be determined based on the grain capacitance in the lowpressure Martian atmosphere. It is assumed that treiboelectric and inductive processes, like that presumed operating in terrestrial dust storms, can el...
متن کاملA miniature sensor for electrical field measurements in dusty planetary atmospheres
Dusty phenomena such as regular wind-blown dust, dust storms, and dust devils are the most important, currently active, geological processes on Mars. Electric fields larger than 100 kV/m have been measured in terrestrial dusty phenomena. Theoretical calculations predict that, close to the surface, the bulk electric fields in martian dusty phenomena reach the breakdown value of the isolating pro...
متن کامل