HR: 1340h
AN: P13B-0149    [Abstracts]
TI: Electric Activity in Dust Devils and Dust Storms
AU: * Renno, R O
EM: renno@alum.mit.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 United States
AU: Yana, C
EM: cyana@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 United States
AU: Covert, A
EM: acovert@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 United States
AU: Renno, K
EM: kareed@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 United States
AU: Wilson, J
P13B-0149 AF: Signal Research Corporation, Suite 100, Littleton, CO 80124 United States
AB: Terrestrial dust devils produce charge separation and electric fields that exceeds the breakdown potential of the thin Martian atmosphere (Farrell et al., 2002, 2003; Krauss et al., 2002; Renno et al., 2004). Typical Martian dust devils are wider, taller and have larger dust content than terrestrial vortices. Thus, charge separation and electric-field breakdown are likely to occur in Martian dust devils and dust storms. We show that theory, laboratory experiments, and field measurements in Arizona suggests that collisions between sand and dust particles at the bottom of dust devils produce non-thermal microwave radiation. The non-thermal microwave emission allows not only the indirect detection of electric activity but could also allow the determination of the physical properties of Martian sand and dust by remote sensing. Besides being geologically important, electrically charged Martian dust devils and dust storms are potential hazards to Landers and at minimum would be an annoyance to future astronauts exploring the planet. Indeed, the design of adequate mechanical and electrical systems for these Landers cannot progress effectively without a better understanding of Martian dust devils and dust storms. Moreover, ancillary phenomena associated with electrically charged vortices can ionize atmospheric gases and might have important implications for atmosphere chemistry and even habitability.
UR: http://aoss.engin.umich.edu/faculty/nrenno/
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 0343 Planetary atmospheres (5210, 5405, 5704)
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005