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Stardust Interstellar Preliminary Examination II: Curating the Interstellar Dust Collector, Picokeystones, and Sources of Impact TracksWe discuss the inherent difficulties that arise during "ground truth" characterization of the Stardust interstellar dust collector. The challenge of identifying contemporary interstellar dust impact tracks in aerogel is described within the context of background spacecraft secondaries and possible interplanetary dust particles and beta-meteoroids. In addition, the extraction of microscopic dust embedded in aerogel is technically challenging. Specifically, we provide a detailed description of the sample preparation techniques developed to address the unique goals and restrictions of the Interstellar Preliminary Exam. These sample preparation requirements and the scarcity of candidate interstellar impact tracks exacerbate the difficulties. We also illustrate the role of initial optical imaging with critically important examples, and summarize the overall processing of the collection to date.
Document ID
20160002094
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Frank, David R.
(Engineering and Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Westphal, Andrew J.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Zolensky, Michael E.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Gainsforth, Zack
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Butterworth, Anna L.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Bastien, Ronald K.
(Engineering and Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Allen, Carlton
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Anderson, David
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Bechtel, Hans A.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Sandford, Scott A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
February 22, 2016
Publication Date
July 2, 2013
Publication Information
Publication: Meteoritics and Planetary Science
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Volume: 49
Issue: 9
e-ISSN: 1945-5100
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN18947
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH11AQ61I
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX09AC36G
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-AC02-98CH10886
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-AC02-05CH11231
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNJ13HA01C
WBS: WBS 811073.02.07.03.84
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Dust
stardust
interstellar

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