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Interplanetary and interstellar dust detection
from STARDUST and Cassini
Simon Green (UKC)
In situ detection of interplanetary dust has been carried out for more
than three decades using both Earth-orbiting spacecraft and interplanetary
missions. The majority of experiments have been aimed at determination of
the flux of micrometeoroids, their mass distribution and sometimes their
orbits from which source bodies may be identified. Recently, dust
detectors on the Ulysses and Galileo specraft have revolutionised our view
of the dust environment in the outer solar system, with the detection of
interstellar material entering the solar system. New techniques in
analysis of radar meteor data have also shown a population of large
interstellar particles reaching the Earth.
The University of Kent is currently involved in two missions carrying
dust detectors on interplanetary flights. The NASA stardust mission to
Comet Wild-2 has momentum sensors attached to the protective front shiled
for interplanetary as well as cometary dust detection. The Cassini Cosmic
Dust Analyser contains Kent's Chemical Analyser which is expected to
provide the first in-situ mass spectrum of interplanetary dust grains.
I will report on the status of both experiments, their capabilities and
the first flight data.
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