Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T04:49:43.665Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Current Evolution of Meteoroids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

J. S. Dohnanyi
J. S. Dohnanyi*
Affiliation:
Bellcomm, Inc.Washington, B.C.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The observed mass distribution of meteoroids at 1 AU from the Sun is briefly reviewed in a survey that ranges over the bulk of the mass spectrum from micrometeoroids to meteorite parent objects. The evolution of meteoroids under the influence of collisions, planetary perturbations, the Poynting-Robertson effect and radiation pressure is then discussed.

Most micrometeoroids are expelled from the solar system by radiation pressure shortly after their production as secondary ejecta during impact by larger objects or as dust ejected by comets. Particles that survive will eventually be swept out by the Poynting-Robertson effect.

Meteoroids in the radio and photographic ranges are destroyed in collisions faster than they can be replaced by the production of secondary fragments during collisions between larger objects. The source of new particles needed to maintain the population of these meteoroids in a stationary distribution may be material expelled by comets.

The survival of large objects is limited by gravitational scattering during close planetary encounters and by collisions as well, if they spend sufficient time in the asteroid belt. The observed radiation-exposure ages of chondrites are shown to be consistent with this model.

Type
Research Article
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 13: Evolutionary and Physical Properties of Meteoroids , June 1971 , pp. 363 - 374
Copyright
Copyright © NASA 1971

References

Anders, E., 1971. Interrelations of meteorites, asteroids and comets, in Physical Studies of Minor Planets, edited by Gehrels, T., NASA SP-267, Supt. of Documents, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, 429–446.Google Scholar
Arnold, J. R., 1965. The origin of meteorites as small bodies. II. The model. III. General considerations, Astrophys. J., 141, 1536–1556.Google Scholar
Berg, O. E., and Gerloff, U., 1970. Orbital elements of micrometeoroids derived from Pioneer 8 measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 75, 6932–6939.Google Scholar
Brown, H., 1960. Density and mass distribution of meteorites, J. Geophys. Res., 75, 1679–1683.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1965. The meteoroid environment of the Apollo program, Bellcomm Rept., TR-66-340-1.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1966. Model distribution of photographic meteors, Bellcomm Rept., TR-66-340-1.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1967. Collision model of meteoroids, in The Zodiacal Light and the Interplanetary Medium, edited by Weinberg, J. L., NASA SP-150, Supt. of Documents, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, 315–319.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1969. Collisional model of asteroids and their debris, J. Geophys. Res., 74, 2531–2554; also in Bellcomm Rept. TR-68-710-4, 1968.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1970. On the origin and distribution of meteoroids, J. Geophys. Res., 75, 3468–3493.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1971a. Micrometeoroids, EOS Trans. Am. Geophys. Union, 52, IUGG, 459–464.Google Scholar
Dohnanyi, J. S., 1971b. The lunar micrometeoroid experiment, LO 33, Bellcomm Rept. TM-71-2015-2.Google Scholar
Fechtig, H., Gerloff, U., and Weihratjch, J. H., 1968. Results of cosmic dust collection on Luster 1965, J. Geophys. Res., 73, 5029–5037.Google Scholar
Fleischer, R. L., Hart, H. R. JR., and Comstock, G. M., 1971. Very heavy solar cosmic rays: energy spectrum and implications for lunar erosion, Science, 171, 1240–1242.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gault, D. E., Shoemaker, E. M., and Moore, J. H., 1963. Spray ejected from the lunar surface by meteoroid impact, NASA Tech. Note D-1767.Google Scholar
Hartmann, W. K., 1965. Terrestrial and lunar flux of large meteorites in the last two billion years, Icarus, 4, 157–165.Google Scholar
Harwit, M., 1963. Origins of the zodiacal dust cloud, J. Geophys. Res., 68, 2171–2180.Google Scholar
Hawkins, G. S., 1963. Impacts on the earth and moon, Nature, 197, 781.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jennison, R. C., Mcdonnell, J. A. M., and Rodger, I., 1967. The Ariel II micrometeorite penetration measurements, Proc. Roy. Soc. London, A300, 251–269.Google Scholar
Kerridge, J. F., 1970. Micrometeorite environment at the Earth’s orbit, Nature, 228, 616–619.Google Scholar
Kessler, D. J., 1970. Meteoroid environment model-170 (interplanetary and planetary), NASA Special Rept. SP-8038.Google Scholar
McCrosky, R. E., 1968a. Orbits of photographic meteors, Physics and Dynamics of Meteors, edited by Kresák, L. and Millman, P. M., Springer-Verlag, New York, 265–279.Google Scholar
McCrosky, R. E., 1968b. Distributions of large meteoric bodies, Smithson. Aslrophys. Obs. Spec. Rept. No. 280, 1–13.Google Scholar
McCrosky, R. E., and Ceplecha, Z., 1970. Fireballs and the physical theory of meteors, Bull. Astron. Inst. Czech., 21, 271–296.Google Scholar
Mcdonnell, J. A. M., 1971. Review of in situ measurements of cosmic dust particles in space, Space Res., 9, 415–435.Google Scholar
Moore, H. J., and Gault, D. E., 1965. The fragmentation of spheres by projectile impact, Astrogeologic Studies, U.S. Geol. Surv. Ann. Progr. Rept., 127–150.Google Scholar
Moore, H. J., and Robertson, F. G., 1966. Hypervelocity impact craters in pumice, Astrogeologic Studies, U.S. Geol. Surv. Ann. Progr. Rept., 107–125.Google Scholar
Narin, F., 1966. Spatial distribution and motion of the known asteroids, J. Spacecraft Rockets, 3, 1438–1440.Google Scholar
Naumann, R. J., 1968. Calibration of Pegasus and Explorer XXIII detector panels, presented at OART-OSSA Meteoroid Environment Workshop, NASA Headquarters, 342.Google Scholar
Naumann, R. J., Jex, D. W., and Johnson, C. L., 1969. Calibration of Pegasus and Explorer XXIII detector panels, NASA Tech. Rept. R-321, 1–37.Google Scholar
Öpik, E. J., 1951. Collision probabilities with the planets and the distribution of interplanetary matter, Proc. Roy. Irish. Acad., 54A, 165–199.Google Scholar
Öpik, E. J., 1958. On the catastrophic effects of collisions with celestial bodies, Irish Astrophys. J., 5, 34–36.Google Scholar
Öpik, E. J., 1966. The stray bodies in the solar system. II. The cometary origin of meteorites, Advan. Astron. Astrophys., Academic Press, New York, 301–336.Google Scholar
Robertson, H. P., 1937. Dynamical effects of radiation on the solar system, Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc, 97, 423–438.Google Scholar
Soberman, R. K., 1971. The terrestrial influx of small meteoric particles, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 9, 239–258.Google Scholar
Van De Hulst, H. C., 1962. Light Scattering by Small Particles, J. Wiley and Sons, New York.Google Scholar
Wetherill, G. W., 1967. Collisions in the asteroid belt, J. Geophys. Res., 72, 2429–2444.Google Scholar
Wetherill, G. W., 1968. Dynamical studies of asteroidal and cometary orbits and their relation to the origin of meteorites, in Origin and Distribution of the Elements, edited by Ahrens, L. H., Pergamon Press, London, 423–443.Google Scholar
Wetherill, G. W., 1969. Relationships between orbits and sources of chondritic meteorites, Meteorite Res., edited by Millman, P. M., Springer-Verlag, New York, 573–589.Google Scholar
Wetherill, G. W., and Williams, J. G., 1968. Evaluation of the Apollo asteroids as sources of stone meteorites, J. Geophys. Res., 73, 635–648.Google Scholar
Whipple, F. L., 1967. On maintaining the meteoritic complex, in The Zodiacal Light and the Interplanetary Medium, edited by Weinberg, J. L., NASA SP-150, Supt. of Documents, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, 409–426.Google Scholar
Wyatt, S. P., and Whipple, F. L., 1950. The Poynting-Robertson effect on meteor orbits, Astrophys. J., III, 134–141.Google Scholar