Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions

W. M Farrell; T. J Stubbs; G. T Delory; R. R Vondrak; M. R Collier; J. S Halekas; R. P Lin

doi:10.1029/2008GL034785

Back

Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions

W. M Farrell, T. J Stubbs, G. T Delory, R. R Vondrak, M. R Collier, J. S Halekas and R. P Lin

Geophysical research letters, Vol.35(19), pp.L19104-n/a

10/2008

DOI: 10.1029/2008GL034785

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL034785View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

NASA recently suggested the construction of a lunar outpost at the south pole near the rim of Shackleton crater. While there are a number of advantages to such a base, the region will have periods of time when there is limited or no solar illumination ‐ thereby reducing photoelectric and solar wind plasma currents compared to most of the lunar dayside. As a consequence of this reduction in environmental currents, we find that human systems charged by contact electrification with the regolith (e.g., roving, excavation) will have increased difficulty in removing accumulated electric charge. This situation is especially true within the cold, shadowed regions adjacent to the terminator (such as within Shackleton crater itself) where there are essentially no photoelectric currents, vastly reduced plasma currents (due to the local wake) and a highly‐reduced regolith conductivity. In essence, there is no pathway for accumulated charge to “leak away” or dissipate, thereby creating an electrostatic hazard. Calculated dissipation timescales are found to be ∼1 millisecond in the weakly sunlit terminator region and dayside but could approach 100's of seconds in the “current‐starved” shadowed regions.

electricity

Moon

plasma

Details

Title: Subtitle: Concerning the dissipation of electrically charged objects in the shadowed lunar polar regions
Creators: W. M Farrell - Goddard Space Flight Center
T. J Stubbs - University of Maryland, Baltimore County
G. T Delory - University of California, Berkeley
R. R Vondrak - Goddard Space Flight Center
M. R Collier - Goddard Space Flight Center
J. S Halekas - University of California, Berkeley
R. P Lin - University of California, Berkeley
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geophysical research letters, Vol.35(19), pp.L19104-n/a
DOI: 10.1029/2008GL034785
ISSN: 0094-8276
eISSN: 1944-8007
Number of pages: 5
Language: English
Date published: 10/2008
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984199802202771

Metrics

6 Record Views

33 Times Cited - Web of Science