CONCERNING SOME PROPERTIES OF DUST IN SPACE,
Abstract
Any dust particle or body in space, it seems, in most cases bears an electric charge. Because of the greater mobility of negative electrons as compared with positive ions, dust particles in an ionized gas always, in the absence of light, become negatively charged. In this case their equilibrium potential is that at which the influx of positively and negatively charged particles is equalized. Calculations show that in a proton-electron plasma with a Maxwellian distribution of velocities the said equilibrium potential E sub 0 in volts approximately equals the mean energy E of the gas, in electron-volts multiplied by the square root of 10. In a plasma containing ions heavier than protons the equilibrium potential will be greater. In regions of cosmic space with a high density of radiation (for instance, in the vicinity of a star) it is more probable that dust particles will have a positive charge of a few volts' potential, due to photoelectric emission. A dust particle may also acquire a charge through friction with a neutral gaseous medium, even in the entire absence of radiation. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0707022
Entities
People
- V. I. Krasovski