Dusty Plasma Physics on the Surface of the Moon

The lunar surface consists primarily of dust particles in the micron to nanometer size range. When these particles are exposed to physical forces, their behavior can become quite complex. For example, electrodynamic forces have been shown to ‘loft’ dust particles from the lunar surface. This is thought to explain the ‘lunar horizon glow’ observed in images taken by Surveyor 5, 6 and 7 (1, 2, 3). Dust particles can act as ‘active probes’ providing information about the surrounding lunar environment opening the opportunity to conduct dusty plasma experiments on the lunar surface which examine fundamental physics questions. This provides a strong impetus for the development of an instrument capable of conducting such fundamental physics experiments. The data produced by such an instrument might well answer science questions currently lacking appropriate data, for example the manner in which non-Hamiltonian forces can arise in quasi-bilayer crystals on Earth. This presentation will introduce a proposed experimental platform designed to provide this data within the boundary conditions present on the lunar surface.

References –

1. Wang, et.al., Experimental Methods of Dust Charging and Mobilization on Surfaces with Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation or Plasmas, J. Vis. Exp. (134), e57072, doi:10.3791/57072 (2018).

2.  Rennilson, et.al., Surveyor observations of lunar horizon-glow. The Moon 10, 121–142 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00655715

3. Horányi, M., et al. The Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) Onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Mission. Space Sci Rev 185, 93–113 (2014).