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Ion microprobe elemental analyses of impact features on interplanetary dust experiment sensor surfacesHypervelocity impact features on several of the electro-active dust sensors utilized in the Interplanetary Dust Experiment (IDE) were subjected to elemental analysis using an ion microprobe. The negatively biased dust sensor surfaces acted as ion traps for cations produced in the plasma plumes of impacting particles. Impactor residue surrounds most impact features to two or three feature diameters. After etching away a layer of carbonaceous/silicaceous surface contamination, low mass resolution elemental survey scans are used to tentatively identify the presence of impactor debris. High mass resolution two-dimensional elemental maps and three dimensional depth profiling of the feature and surrounding area show the distribution and relative composition of the debris. The location of these sensors on the six primary Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) sides provides a unique opportunity to further define the debris environment. Researchers applied the same techniques to impact and contaminant features on a set of ultra-pure, highly polished single crystal germanium wafer witness plates that were mounted on row 12 and exposed to the environment during the entire mission.
Document ID
19910015693
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hunter, Jerry L.
(North Carolina State Univ. Raleigh., United States)
Wortman, Jim J.
(North Carolina State Univ. Raleigh., United States)
Griffis, Dieter P.
(North Carolina State Univ. Raleigh., United States)
Simon, Charles G.
(Institute for Space Science and Technology, Inc., Gainesville FL., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: NASA, Langley Research Center, First LDEF Post-Retrieval Symposium Abstracts
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91N25007
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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