Physical processes of formation and features of the plasma—dust exosphere of the Moon
L.M. Zelenyi†a,
A.V. Zakharov‡a,
S.I. Popel§a,b,
I.A. Kuznetsov*a,
E.V. Rozenfeld#c aSpace Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya str. 84/32, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation bHSE University, ul. Myasnitskaya 20, Moscow, 101000, Russian Federation cMikheev Institute of Metal Physics, Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, S Kovalevskoi str. 18, Ekaterinburg, 620108, Russian Federation
We review studies of physical processes associated with the impact of external factors in outer space — flows of micrometeoroids and solar radiation — on the lunar regolith. Under the influence of these factors, regolith microparticles can detach from the surface and levitate. Near-surface plasma and levitating dust particles form a plasma—dust exosphere of the Moon. Under anthropogenic effects on the lunar environment, charged levitating microparticles can have an extremely negative impact on the engineering systems of lunar landers and on the activity and health of astronauts on the Moon. Based on information gained by automated and manned lunar missions and in laboratory experiments, we discuss modern ideas about physical processes occurring near the Moon's surface. Unsolved problems associated with the plasma—dust exosphere of the Moon are considered, and the principal strategies for their solution are outlined.
Keywords: Moon, plasma, lunar dust, solar wind, micrometeoroids, regolith, exosphere PACS:52.27.Lw, 96.12.−a, 96.20.−n (all) DOI:10.3367/UFNe.2023.09.039567 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2024/6/a/ 001334470800001 2-s2.0-85193839331 2024PhyU...67..533Z Citation: Zelenyi L M, Zakharov A V, Popel S I, Kuznetsov I A, Rozenfeld E V "Physical processes of formation and features of the plasma—dust exosphere of the Moon" Phys. Usp.67 533–560 (2024)
Criswell D R Photon and Particle Interactions with Surfaces in Space, Proc. of the 6th ESLAB Symp., Noordwijk, September 26-29, 1972(Astrophysics and Space Science Library) Vol. 37 (Ed. R J L Grard) (Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publ. Co., 1973) p. 545
Carrier W D (III), Olhoeft G R, Mendell W et al The Lunar Sourcebook, A User’s Guide To The Moon (Eds G H Heiken, D T Vaniman, B M French) (New York: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1991) p. 475
O’Brien P O et al 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conf., March 18-22, 2019, The Woodlands, Texas ((LPI Contrib., No. 2132)) (Houston, TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 2019)
Melosh H J Impact Cratering: A Geologic Process (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1989); Translated into Russian, Melosh H J Obrazovanie Udarnykh Kraterov: Geologicheskii Protsess (Moscow: Mir, 1994)
Popel S I et al JETP Lett.103 563 (2016); Popel S I et al Pis’ma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz.103 641 (2016)
Brownlee D, Bucher W, Hodge P Analysis Of Surveyor 3 Material And Photographs Returned By Apollo 12(NASA SP-284, Eds W F Carroll et al) (Washington, DC: NASA, 1972) p. 143
NASA Contractor Report 4404 (Washington, DC: NASA, 1991)
Haskin L, Warren P The Lunar Sourcebook: A User’s Guide To The Moon (Eds G H Heiken, D T Vaniman, B M French) (Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1991) p. 357
Agrell S O et al Proc. of the Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conf., 5-8 January, 1970, Houston, TX Vol. 1 Mineralogy and Petrology (Ed. A A Levinson) (New York: Pergamon Press, 1970) p. 93
Morris R V Lunar and Planetary Science Conf., 9th, Houston, Tex., March 13-17, 1978, Proc. Vol. 2 (New York: Pergamon Press, 1978) p. 2287
Guo Z et al Geophys. Res. Lett.49 e2021GL097323 (2022)
Lu X et al Nat. Astron.7 142 (2023)
McKay D S et al The Lunar Sourcebook: A User’s Guide To The Moon (Eds G H Heiken, D T Vaniman, B M French) (New York: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1991) p. 285
Fa W et al 50th Lunar And Planetary Science Conf., 18-22 March, 2019, Woodlands, Texas(LPI Contrib., No. 2132) (Houston, TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 2019)
Mahmood A et al Proc. of the 5th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conf. (New York: Pergamon Press, 1974) p. 2347
Vaniman D et al The Lunar Sourcebook: A User’s Guide To The Moon (Eds G H Heiken, D T Vaniman, B M French) (Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1991) p. 27
Alvarez R "Lunar and terrestrial sample photoconductivity" Proc. of the Sixth Lunar Science Conf., Houston, Texas, March 17-21, 1975 Vol. 3 (New York: Pergamon Press, 1975) p. 3187
Vyshlov A S, Savich N A Cosmic Res.16 450 (1979); Vyshlov A S, Savich N A Kosmicheskie Issled.16 551 (1978)
Vasil’ev M B et al Cosmic Res.12 102 (1974); Vasil’ev M B et al Kosmicheskie Issled.12 115 (1974)
Vyshlov A S Space Research XVI; Proc. of the Open Meetings of Working Groups on Physical Sciences, May 29 - June 7, 1975, and Symp. and Workshop on Results from Coordinated Upper Atmosphere Measurement Programs, Varna, Bulgaria, May 29-31, 1975 (Berlin: Akademie-Verlag GmbH, 1976) p. 945
Reasoner D L, Burke W J Photon and Particle Interactions with Surfaces in Space. Proc. of the 6th ESLAB Symp., Noordwijk, September 26-29, 1972(Astrophysics and Space Science Library) Vol. 37 (Ed. R J L Grard) (Dordrecht: Reidel, 1973) p. 369
Vondrak R R The Second Conf. on Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century((NASA Conf. Publ. 3166) Vol. 1 (Ed. W W Mendell) (Washington, DC: NASA, 1988) p. 337
Hodges R R, Hoffman J H Proc. of the Sixth Lunar Science Conf., Houston, Texas, March 17-21, 1975 (New York: Pergamon Press, 1975) p. 3039
Hoffman J H, Hodges R R (Jr.), Evans D E Proc. of the 4th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conf. (New York: Pergamon Press, 1973) p. 2875
Popel S I et al JETP Lett.105 635 (2017); Popel S I et al Pis’ma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz.105 594 (2017)
Zel’dovich Ya B, Raizer Yu P Physics Of Shock Waves And High-Temperature Hydrodynamic Phenomena (Mineola, NY: Dover Publ., 2002); Translated from Russian, Zel’dovich Ya B, Raizer Yu P Fizika Udarnykh Voln I Vysokotemperaturnykh Gidrodinamicheskikh Yavlenii (Moscow: Nauka, 1966) p. 458
Feuerbacher B et al Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta3 2655 (1972)
Willis R F Photon and Particle Interactions with Surfaces in Space, Proc. of the 6th ESLAB Symp., Noordwijk, September 26-29, 1972(Astrophysics and Space Science Library) Vol. 37 (Ed. R J L Grard) (Dordrecht: Reidel, 1973) p. 389
McCoy J E, Criswell D R Lunar Science Conf., 5th, Houston, Tex., March 18-22, 1974, Proc. (New York: Pergamon Press, 1974) p. 2991
Zook H A, Potter A E, Cooper B L "The Lunar Dust Exosphere and Clementine Lunar Horizon Glow" The Lunar and Planetary Science Conf. Vol. 26 (Houston, TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 1995) p. 1577
Gaier J R The Impact Of Lunar Dust On Human Exploration, Held 11-13 February, 2020, Houston, Texas(LPI Contrib. No. 2141) (Houston, TX: LPI, 2020), id. 5002
Carroll W F, Blair P M (Jr.) Analysis Of Surveyor 3 Material And Photographs Returned By Apollo 12 (NASA SP-284) (Washington, DC: NASA, 1972) p. 23
Milwitzky B (Ed.) "Analysis of Surveyor 3 material and photographs returned by Apollo 12" NASA Report 1972 (Washington, DC: NASA, 1972)
O’Brien B J, Gaier J R Indicative Basic Issues about Lunar Dust in the Lunar Environment. White Paper for the National Academies Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey (2009)
Christoffersen R et al NASA/TP 2009-214786 (Hanover, MD: NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 2009)
Zelenyi L M et al Vklad Akademicheskoi Nauki V Razvitie Kosmicheskoi Otrasli. Nauchnye Sessii Obshchego Sobraniya Chlenov RAN I Obshchikh Sobranii Otdelenii RAN, Aprel’, 2021 G. (Contribution Of Academic Science To The Development Of The Space Industry. Scientific Sessions Of The General Meeting Of Members Of The Russian Academy Of Sciences And General Meetings Of Branches Of The Russian Academy Of Sciences, April, 2021, Eds A M Sergeev, V G Bondur, A A Makosko) (Moscow: RAN, 2021) p. 157