Distribution and flux of micrometeroids

Abstract
Lunar rocks are useful micrometeoroid detectors, and have been used to determine the mass distribution, flux and distribution in space of interplanetary dust at 1 AU. The micrometeoroid mass distribution is bimodal. Variations in slope of the cumulative mass frequency curve suggest that complex physical processes act upon one or more micrometeoroid sources. Approximately 300 craters of 0.1 pm diameter, corresponding to particle masses of 10-16-10-17 g cm-2 a-1 sr-1, are produced. No anisotropy in this flux was observed between lunar north and the plane of the ecliptic in contrast to other observations of an anisotropy between lunar south and the plane of the ecliptic. Flux values in this mass range are the same for surfaces exposed for 106 and 104 years and are in agreement with extrapolated satellite results. No change in flux over a 106 year period is indicated. Between 10 and 15 x 10-6 particles of mass 10-5-10-6 g cm -2 a-1 ((2rc sr)-1 impact the Moon.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: