Stability of charge and orbit of cosmic dust particles

Dust in space is formed due to the activity of comets or erosion and collisions of asteroids in the solar system. Astronomical observations of the night sky indirectly reveal, through the reflection of the solar light, the presence of dust in the zodiac along the ecliptic during dusk. Space technology nowadays offers the big chance to analyze the composition of dust in situ, while studies of space dust in the atmosphere or within core samples existed already before. There are many uncharted dust clouds in interplanetary space and their evolution in interplanetary space is currently poorly understood. Impacts of space dust can destroy spacecraft or lead to erosion and damage of critical parts of it. The sensitivity of scientific experiments also strongly depends on the dust environment. It is therefore crucial to understand the movement of dust clouds in interplanetary space. The motion of interplanetary dust is the result of the complex interplay of various forces. The motion turns out to be chaotic and the final fate of space dust once formed at specific locations in the solar system is thus uncertain. It is the purpose of our study to find suitable conditions that support the presence of dust at different locations in the solar system for long times in order to predict the regions in the solar system with increased dust densities. For this reason we are looking for special sets of physical parameters that allow orbital motion of charged dust to resist perturbations due to additional forces. The role of the charge over mass ratio of dust grains has not yet been investigated by the scientific community in full detail. It is either usually neglected or assumed to be constant. The novelty of our approach is to take also the charge variations of space dust into account. Our study requires the careful derivation of new mathematical models describing the problems under investigation and the implementation of new and state of the art analytical and numerical techniques. As a result we are able to predict the correct charge over mass ratios of space dust that will stay in the vicinity of its origin of formation. To reach this scientific goal it is necessary to model the orbital motion, the charge history of the particle, as well as the interplanetary magnetic field. Therefore, this cross-disciplinary study also requires a link between celestial mechanics and plasma physics. The one, to model the orbital dynamics, the other to model the dynamics of charge and the interplanetary magnetic field.

Dust dynamics in the solar system is an active area of research that seeks to understand the behavior and evolution of small dust particles in the vicinity of the Sun and other celestial bodies. Overall, the current state of the art in dust dynamics research has provided valuable insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system, as well as potential hazards posed by interplanetary dust to spacecraft and human exploration. Recent advances in observational techniques, including space-based missions such as NASA's Stardust and JAXA's Hayabusa, have allowed scientists to collect and analyze samples of interplanetary dust particles and cometary dust. Numerical simulations and modeling have also played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of dust dynamics, including the effects of solar radiation pressure, solar wind, and gravitational forces on dust particle trajectories. One of the main challenges in studying dust dynamics is the wide range of particle sizes and compositions present in the solar system, which can lead to complex interactions between dust particles and the surrounding environment. The present project has made a significant contribution to the study of the interaction between charged dust and interplanetary magnetic fields, which was often neglected in previous studies. It is known that the distribution of neutral dust in the solar system is strongly influenced by the radiation from the Sun as well as the gravity of celestial bodies, while the impact of interplanetary magnetic fields and the solar wind on the distribution of dust in the solar system was not sufficiently explored before this project. In collaboration with specialists from the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and plasma physics, the following insights have been derived based on theoretical investigations: The distribution of charged dust strongly depends on its interaction with space weather and is therefore significantly influenced by the activity of the Sun Regions with high density of charged dust particles are significantly displaced with respect to regions of high density of neutral particles. The prediction of dust populations, which is essential for the measuring instruments of spacecraft, requires precise analysis of space weather activity. Additionally, there are dust concentrations that can only be predicted by the inclusion of charge and interaction with interplanetary magnetic fields. These predominantly latitudinal components extend to very high regions in space and beyond the orbital planes of planets, puncturing them with a regularity that was not previously known in studies. The new results suggest a significant influence of charged dust on the formation history of planetary systems. Moreover, accurate prediction of space weather requires the development of new mathematical models in the field of celestial mechanics.