Electrostatic Transport Characteristics of Olivine Particles under Electron Irradiation in Vacuum

Abstract Electrostatic dust transport on airless planetary bodies, such as the Moon, plays a crucial role in shaping their surface environment and influencing the evolution of surface materials. To investigate the effects of electron irradiation on the transport characteristics of micron-sized dust particles under simulated lunar conditions, we measured the diameters and velocities of moving olivine particles using a laser Doppler system. Experiments were conducted under electron irradiation with energies up to 500 eV and currents ranging from 1 to 500 μ A. The results demonstrate a strong dependence of electrostatic dust migration on the incident electrons’ energy and current, with more pronounced effects observed at higher energies. This offers insights into the mechanisms behind localized dust migration during magnetic tail crossings and in the lunar terminal/polar plasma wakes, where electrostatic charging likely plays a key role. However, further observations are necessary to verify these phenomena fully. Olivine particles exhibited significantly higher transport rates than anorthite particles under the same conditions, confirming the distinct transport characteristics of various dust components. Furthermore, based on the patched charge model, we examined the driving force and initial vertical velocity distribution to better understand the mechanisms behind dust lofting. These findings provide valuable insights into dust transport mechanisms on airless planetary surfaces, with implications for future space exploration missions and environmental modeling.