Modeling the dynamics of lunar dust, taking into account the actual optical properties of minerals
Authors: Andrey B. Yakovlev, Dmitriy A. Beloborodov
Keywords: lunar dust, electrostatic levitation, radiation pressure, optical properties of minerals, modeling
Abstract:
This work presents the development of a two-dimensional model of lunar regolith dust particle motion that accounts for the actual optical properties of the main lunar minerals—olivine and pyroxene. Radiation pressure coefficients for particles of various sizes were calculated using the Mie algorithm, which made it possible to refine the conditions for their levitation and horizontal transport. The modeling revealed the existence of a new stable mode of motion: the formation of a “hovering” dust layer at altitudes on the order of several tenths of a meter, exhibiting horizontal drift of up to several meters per minute. The results obtained refine our understanding of the mechanisms of electrostatic dust transport and may be used to improve predictions of dust-related processes near the surfaces of the Moon and other airless celestial bodies.