Simulations of lunar dust movement (PARP)
We are carrying out a research and development project titled “Numerical Tools for Predicting Particle Pollution in the Terrestrial and Space Environments,” co-financed by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development under the European Funds for a Modern Economy program.
Problem
Particle contamination with diameters ranging from 0.1 to 100 µm can significantly affect the operation of various devices. It impacts their optical surfaces, heat exchange surfaces, fuel systems, and electronic systems. In technical fields where high levels of reliability are essential, such contamination is strictly controlled. Devices are manufactured in “cleanrooms,” where specified contamination parameters are maintained, i.e., the number of particles of various diameters per unit volume or surface area. Space technology, which has been developing for decades, has already developed appropriate procedures and tools to control contamination in devices sent into space.
Challenges arising from the exploration of the Moon and Mars
Completely new challenges in this field are associated with the exploration of the Moon and other planets in the solar system, such as Mars. On the Moon in particular, conditions differ significantly from those on Earth due to the lack of an atmosphere and the inability to discharge accumulated charges. As a result, the transport of lunar dust is governed by mechanisms entirely different from those on Earth. Additionally, lunar dust has very sharp and irregular shapes, making it significantly more dangerous to machinery and humans.
Project Objective
The objective of the project is to develop software capable of assessing the impact of dust particles on the operation of equipment in extraterrestrial conditions, i.e., primarily on the Moon, but also in places such as Mars. Experimental studies of lunar dust particles and the effects of contamination by them are extremely difficult, as they require the recreation of the extreme conditions found on the Moon, i.e., among other things, an extremely low vacuum (1e-14–1e-12 torr), electrostatic field distributions, and the use of dust particles with properties similar to those found on the Moon. Numerical modeling allows for a deeper insight into the physics of the phenomenon and an understanding of the relationships influencing dust particle transport. As part of the project, tasks related to the development of algorithms for particle contamination movement and experimental measurements of particle adhesion will be carried out, and a graphical interface for the Windows platform will be developed.
Target Audience
The project will result in software to be used by engineers designing devices for operation in lunar/Martian conditions. The software will enable the calculation of particle contamination levels on sensitive surfaces and assess the impact of such contamination on their primary functions (e.g., thermal or optical).
Project Outcome
The project will result in software with a graphical user interface capable of calculating the distribution of lunar dust contamination on devices located on the Moon’s surface.
Funding Information
Project Value: 4,783,566.94 PLN
Amount of European Union Funding: 3,764,185.10 PLN
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