Lunar and Martian Dust Dynamics

Abstract

In order to support human and robotic explorations of Mars and beyond,the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has undertaken lunar missions. One technological problem is the mitigation of dust hazards associated with both lunar and Mars missions. There are many factors that transformed lunar regolith into an ocean dust like volcanic eruption, meteorite impact, solar radiation and thermal cycling, solar plasma and bombardment by interplanetary dusts. A detailed understanding of lunar and Martian dust dynamics is needed for designing and implementing dust hazard mitigation methods to facilitate successful missions to the moon and Mars.