Finite-size corrections to the atmospheric heating of micrometeorites

We investigate the heating of micrometeorites and dust particles, as they decelerate in the Earth's upper atmosphere, when finite-size correction effects to the Stefan–Boltzmann surface reradiation law apply. For particles smaller than about 25 μm across, it is found that the finite-size correc...

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Published inMonthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 402; no. 2; pp. 1208 - 1212
Main Author Beech, Martin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 21.02.2010
Wiley-Blackwell
Oxford University Press
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Summary:We investigate the heating of micrometeorites and dust particles, as they decelerate in the Earth's upper atmosphere, when finite-size correction effects to the Stefan–Boltzmann surface reradiation law apply. For particles smaller than about 25 μm across, it is found that the finite-size corrections result in significantly lower maximum temperatures being realized. Indeed, the finite-size correction to the Stefan–Boltzmann law acts in the opposite sense to that of a reduced radiative efficiency which tends to increase the temperature of small meteoroids. It is also found that the accumulated thermal processing during atmospheric deceleration is greatly reduced when finite-size correction effects become important and this may have important consequences for the loss of volatile elements, as well as any petrographic alterations that a dust particle may experience.
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ISSN:0035-8711
1365-2966
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15968.x