Stardust - Aggregation of cosmic dust analogues in microgravityThe condensation behavior of refractory grains near stars was investigated in an experiment which used a specially designed apparatus flown aboard NASA's Reduced Gravity aircraft. The apparatus consisted of a furnace in which a solid material (Zn or Mg) is vaporized into a temperature- and pressure-controlled chamber. Light scattered from the grains was recorded using a video system, and temperature measurements in the chamber were recorded throughout the microgravity period. The video and the temperature data are compared to models that predict the time dependence of the temperature- and vapor-pressure profiles to deduce the condensation behavior of the material. The joint U.S.-Italian program (named Stardust) for these experiments, designed to study refractory grain formation and aggregation, was set up to develop experimental and computational techniques for condensation studies under microgravity conditions.
Document ID
19930039312
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Dell'aversana, P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mirra, C. (MARS Center Naples, Italy)
Ferguson, F. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Lilleleht, L. U. (Virginia Univ. Charlottesville, United States)
Nuth, J. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Stephens, J. R. (Matrix Santa Fe, NM, United States)
Bussoletti, E. (Ist. Universitario Navale, Naples, Italy)
Colangeli, L. (Cassino Univ. Italy)
Mennella, V. (Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte Naples, Italy)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Subject Category
Astronautics (General)
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 93-0577
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit