New model improves predictions of interplanetary dust cloud effects

The interplanetary dust cloud is an integral part of the space environment. Its effects on interplanetary spacecraft can be severe. Particles striking a spacecraft with high velocities can cause damage leading to the impairment or even failure of the spacecraft or its subsystems. Depending on the size of the impactor, the effects range from degradation of functional surfaces, such as optical systems or solar arrays, to cratering and structural penetration. At the same time, secondary effects such as electromagnetic pulses generated by the plasma release from impacts can interfere or even destroy sensitive electronics.  A recently completed TDE activity, wanted to improve meteoroid models in order to assess the impact hazard for future interplanetary missions.

The activity built an engineering model of the dust component of the space environment, using current state-of-the-art knowledge of dust cloud constituents, how they develop and their physical effects.

The model was built by first integrating the orbits of cometary and asteroid particle distributions over 1 Myr, including gravitational and solar radiation forces, as well as a simple collisional model. This showed the distribution of dust particles from different comet and asteroid sources within the inner solar system.

The model showed large particles (more than 200 µm) require longer collisional lifetimes than previously thought, while smaller particles require no such enhancement. It marks a first step at building a comprehensive meteoroid engineering model from the ground up. 

The activity found that to further develop dust environment models such as this requires significant data collection on the meteor population away from the Earth, e.g. meteors at Mars and Venus; infrared brightness observations of the dust cloud away from 1 AU; and in-situ detection of large (> 100 µm) particles also away from the vicinity of the Earth.