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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

The HOSTS Survey: Evidence for an Extended Dust Disk and Constraints on the Presence of Giant Planets in the Habitable Zone of β Leo

The young (50–400 Myr) A3V star β Leo is a primary target to study the formation history and evolution of extrasolar planetary systems as one of the few stars with known hot (∼1600 K), warm (∼600 K), and cold (∼120 K) dust belt components. In this paper, we present deep mid-infrared measurements of the warm dust brightness obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) as part of its exozodiacal dust survey (HOSTS). The measured excess is 0.47% ± 0.050% within the central 1.5 au, rising to 0.81% ± 0.026% within 4.5 au, outside the habitable zone of β Leo. This dust level is 50 ± 10 times greater than in the solar system’s zodiacal cloud. Poynting–Robertson drag on the cold dust detected by Spitzer, and Herschel underpredicts the dust present in the habitable zone of β Leo, suggesting an additional delivery mechanism (e.g., comets) or an additional belt at ∼5.5 au. A model of these dust components is provided that implies the absence of planets more than a few Saturn masses between ∼5 au and the outer belt at ∼40 au. We also observationally constrain giant planets with the LBTI imaging channel at 3.8 μm wavelength. Assuming an age of 50 Myr, any planet in the system between approximately 5–50 au must be less than a few Jupiter masses, consistent with our dust model. Taken together, these observations showcase the deep contrasts and detection capabilities attainable by the LBTI for both warm exozodiacal dust and giant exoplanets in or near the habitable zone of nearby stars.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1994

IRAS observations show that the Earth is embedded in a solar ring of asteroidal dust particles in resonant lock with the planet

We have analyzed all the infrared observations of the zodiacal cloud obtained in 1983 by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and shown that when viewed at a constant elongation angle of 90 degrees, the elliptic brightness of the cloud is systematically greater by approx. 3 percent in the trailing direction than in the leading direction. This asymmetry is observed at all times of the year and in all three of the IRAS wavebands in which the zodiacal cloud is clearly observed. The orbits of cometary particles are highly eccentric and these particles are unlikely to be trapped in corotational resonances. Thus, the IRAS observations are evidence that the Earth is embedded in a ring of asteroidal particles. Similar rings are expected to be associated with Mars and Venus. The existence of asteroidal families and their associated dust bands (also discovered by IRAS) are evidence that the asteroid belt is a significant and maybe the dominant source of dust in the zodiacal cloud. These new observations give quantitative information both on the rate of transport of asteroidal dust to the Earth and on the rate of grinding down of the asteroid belt. Without resonant trapping most dust particles spiral past the Earth without striking the planet. However, most particles trapped in resonances are released from these resonances due to close encounter with the Earth. Thus, the ring may act as a funnel through which asteroidal particles are deposited in the Earth's atmosphere. This could have implications for the efficiency of the transport of carbonaceous material from the asteroid belt to the Earth and for the origin of life on the planet.

Dermott, Stanley F.↗
NASA NTRS1992

IDE spatio-temporal impact fluxes and high time-resolution studies of multi-impact events and long-lived debris clouds

The purpose of the Interplanetary Dust Experiment (IDE) on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was to sample the cosmic dust environment and to use the spatio-temporal aspect of the experiment to distinguish between the various components of the environment: zodiacal cloud, beta meteoroids, meteor streams, interstellar dust, and orbital debris. It was found that the introduction of precise time and even rudimentary directionality as co-lateral observables in sampling the particulate environment in near-Earth space produces an enormous qualitative improvement in the information content of the impact data. The orbital debris population is extremely clumpy, being dominated by persistent clouds in which the fluxes may rise orders of magnitude above the background. The IDE data suggest a strategy to minimize the damage to sensitive spacecraft components, using the observed characteristics of cloud encounters.

Mulholland, J. Derral↗
NASA NTRS1994

Modern sources of dust in the solar system

The observed size-frequency distributions of the main-belt and family asteroids and the results of an analysis of the IRAS data on the zodiacal background and the solar system dustbands were used to estimate the extent of the contribution of asteroidal dust to the zodiacal cloud. It is concluded that the total asteroidal contribution to the zodiacal signal is probably 40% of the total flux. Thus, some 60% of the flux probably derives from a source other than main-belt asteroids.

Dermott, Stanley F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The plane of symmetry of interplanetary dust in the inner solar system

Observations of the zodiacal light from the space probes Helios 1 and 2 between 1.0 and 0.3 AU show - superimposed on the general radial dependence - a systematic variation of brightness and brightness distribution with position in the orbit which is caused by the inclination of the symmetry plane of interplanetary dust with respect to the ecliptic. By suitable choice of the observing geometry, the inclination and the ascending node of the symmetry plane can be determined directly from the data without recourse to model calculations. The resulting values of i equals 3.0 plus or minus 0.3 deg, Omega equals 87 plus or minus 4 deg are not compatible with a concentration of interplanetary dust to the invariable plane of the solar system. The data support the simple view that the distribution of interplanetary dust in the inner solar system is characterized throughout by one plane of symmetry and suggest that this plane extends to at least 1 AU.

Leinert, C.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Mercuryʼs Circumsolar Dust Ring as an Imprint of a Recent Impact

A circumsolar dust ring has been recently discovered close to the orbit of Mercury. There are currently no hypotheses for the origin of this ring in the literature, so we explore four different origin scenarios here: the dust originated from (1) the sporadic meteoroid complex that comprises the major portion of the Zodiacal Cloud, (2) recent asteroidal/cometary activity, (3) hypothetical dust-generating bodies locked in mean-motion resonances beyond Mercury, and (4) bodies co-orbiting with Mercury. We find that only scenario (4) reproduces the observed structure and location of Mercury's dust ring. However, the lifetimes of Mercury's co-orbitals (<20 Ma) preclude a primordial origin of the co-orbiting source population due to dynamical instabilities and meteoroid bombardment, demanding a recent event feeding the observed dust ring. We find that an impact on Mercury can eject debris into the co-orbital resonance. We estimate the ages of six candidate impacts that formed craters larger than 40 km in diameter using high-resolution spacecraft data from MESSENGER and find two craters with estimated surface ages younger than 50 Ma. We find that the amount of mass transported from Mercury's surface into the co-orbital resonance from these two impacts is several orders of magnitude smaller than what is needed to explain the magnitude of Mercury's ring inferred from remote sensing. Therefore we suggest that numerous younger, smaller impacts collectively contributed to the origin of the ring. We conclude that the recent impact hypothesis for the origin of Mercury's dust ring is a viable scenario, whose validity can be constrained by future inner solar system missions.

Petr Pokorny↗
NASA NTRS2005

Dynamical Zodiacal Cloud Models Constrained by High Resolution Spectroscopy of the Zodiacal Light

We have developed a set of self-consistent dynamical models of the Zodiacal cloud, following the orbital evolution of dust particles. Three populations were considered, originating from the Kuiper belt, asteroids and comets. Using the models developed, we investigated how the solar spectrum is changed by scattering by the zodiacal cloud grains and compared the obtained spectra with the observations.

Ipatov, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Experiment S001: Zodiacal Light Photography

Observations made during the Gemini 5, 9, and 10 missions in the context of their relation to ground-based and balloon-based experiments on dim-light phenomena are reported. Zodiacal light is the visible manifestation of dust grains in orbit around the sun. The negatives that were exposed on the Gemini 9 mission were studied by the use of an isodensitracer to produce intensity isophotes. Data on the following factors were obtained: (1) intensity distribution of the zodiacal light, both morning and evening; (2) the height and intensity of the airglow at various geographic positions; and (3) intensity distribution of the Milky Way in the region of the sky near Cygnus. Also, a previously unreported phenomenon was discovered. This phenomenon appeared as an upward extension of the normal 90-kilometer airglow layer. The extension was in the form of wisps or plumes approximately 5 deg wide and extending upward approximately 5 deg. The results obtained from pictures exposed on the Gemini 10 mission were of qualitative or geometrical value only.

Ney, E. P.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Multicolor polarimetry of the night sky

Five-color observations of the linear polarization and single-color observations of the circular polarization are presented for the night sky. The pattern of orientations of the plane of vibration and the presence of the circular polarization in regions away from the galactic plane both imply that partially aligned nonspherical dust grains contribute substantially to the zodiacal light.

Wolstencroft, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

History of the dust released by comets

The Finson-Brobstein theory is used to examine production and history of dust released from periodic comets and to compare dust size distribution in relation to the Zodiacal cloud. Results eliminate all of the bright new comets from contributors to the Zodiacal cloud. Among the periodic comets, all particles of size much smaller than 10 micrometer are also lost. Only the large particles remain as possible contributors.

Jambor, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Origin of the solar system dust bands discovered by IRAS

It is shown that distinctive longitudinal variations in thermal flux and mean latitude can be used to determine the typical orbits of the grains comprising the Solar System bands. In particular, how the bands should vary if they are debris associated with the three principal asteroid families is predicted. Based on these ideas, IRAS observations may allow discrimination between asteroidal and cometary origins of the dust bands and, perhaps, of the entire zodiacal cloud.

Dermott, S. F.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Origins and Dynamics of Interplanetary Dust Particles

This is a final report for research supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration issued through the Office of Space Science Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program, covering all relevant activities during its 3-year period of funding from 02/01/2002 through to 01/31/2005. The ongoing aim of the research supported through this grant, and now through a successor award, is to investigate the origin of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and their dynamical and collisional evolution, in order to: (1) understand the provenance of zodiacal cloud particles and their transport from their source regions to the inner solar system; (2) produce detailed models of the zodiacal cloud and its constituent components; (3) determine the origin of the dust particles accreted by the Earth; (4) ascertain the level of temporal variations in the dust environment of the inner solar system and the accretion rate of IDPs by the Earth, and evaluate potential effects on global climate; and to (5) exploit this research as a basis for interpreting the structure observed in exozodiacal clouds that may result from the collisional evolution of planetesimals and the presence of unseen planets.

Dermott, Stanley F.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Measurements of solar system dust at R < 1 AU and R > 3 AU

In Situ experiments on space craft yield information about dust parameters such as velocity, flux and size, and mass of particles. In Situ experiments as well as brightness measurements in the inner solar system have been made with Helios from .3 to 1 AU in the ecliptic plane which reveal two different dust populations with different bulk densities and relative velocities to the spacecraft. Zodiacal light measurements from Helios 1 and 2 reveal a radial brightness gradient proportional to R(exp -2.3). Measurements of dust particles in the outer solar system have been made onboard the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft and for the high latitude region with Ulysses. Pioneer 10 and 11 also carried a spin-scan photopolarimeter that was used to map the zodiacal light and background starlight during the cruise to Jupiter in two broad bandpasses centered at .44 and .64 micron. Details of these measurements are briefly discussed.

Mann, Ingrid↗
NASA NTRS1972

The zodiacal light as seen from the Pioneer F/G and Helios probes.

During the years 1972-1976 the first deep-space observations of zodiacal light will be made: from the Pioneer F/G Asteroid-Jupiter probes and from the Helios solar probes which will penetrate to 0.25 AU. These vehicles provide a unique opportunity to determine the spatial distribution of interplanetary dust throughout the region from 0.1 to 5 AU and its concentration toward the ecliptic plane. Zodiacal light models are used to discuss the accuracy with which the spatial distribution of the interplanetary dust may be inferred from deep-space observations of zodiacal light, with special emphasis on the effects of a dust-free zone near the sun and of a particle concentration in the asteroid belt.

Hanner, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Large-scale Galactic dust morphology and physical conditions from IRAS observations

In this paper, the zodiacal component is subtracted from the 60 and 100 micron Galactic plane emission by applying an empirical model derived from IRAS data in regions of the sky not dominated by the Galaxy. The corrected observations are used to derive the large-scale physical conditions such as temperature, optical depth, and total FIR brightness of the dust residing in the Galactic disk. (C-12)O, H I, and 5 GHz radio continuum observations are also used to compare the large-scale properties of the gas and dust distributions in the Galaxy. Possible scenarios to explain the findings are suggested.

Sodroski, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Zodiacal light dynamics experiment: A wideband imaging Fabry-Perot interferometer

The Solar Probe will provide an ideal platform from which to study dynamics of dust particles near the sun by measuring the detailed character of the Fraunhofer structure of the zodiacal light. The suggested instrument is a wideband imaging Fabry-Perot interferometer with state of the art technology in both the optics and the detector. The instrument would function as a high-resolution imaging device providing wavelength resolution of 0.03 A over about a 20 A range. The wideband imaging capability would provide sky maps of the zodiacal light on a despun spacecraft without mechanical scanning. The Solar Probe mission would allow the velocity distribution of the dust to be mapped along most of the trajectory of the spacecraft.

Torr, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Cosmic dust and space debris; Proceedings of the Topical Meetings and Workshop 6 of the 26th COSPAR Plenary Meeting, Toulouse, France, June 30-July 11, 1986

These proceedings encompass topics in the fields of extraterrestrial material samples, IRAS solar system and dust model results, and earth orbit debris. Attention is given to chemical fractionation during high velocity impact, particle deceleration and survival in multiple thin foil targets, and IRAS studies of asteroids, comets, cometary tails, the zodiacal background, and the three-dimensional modeling of interplanetary dust. Also discussed are the evolution of an earth orbit debris cloud, orbital debris due to future space activities, collision probabilities in geosynchronous orbits, and a bitelescopic survey of low altitude orbital debris.

Mcdonnell, J. A. M.↗