Interplanetary dust particles near Jupiter

Abstract

We calculate the expected counting rate of a flat micrometeoroid detector of finite sensitivity passing in hyperbolic orbit near a planet. We assume that the distribution of particle sizes, s, can be expressed as a power law spectrum of index p, i.e. dN( s) = C s − p ds, and also that the particles encounter the sphere of influence of the planet with a certain speed v ∞. The results of the calculations are then compared with the results returned by Pioneer 10 in its flyby of Jupiter. The observed increase in impact rate near Jupiter can be completely explained in terms of gravitational “focusing” of particles which are in heliocentric orbits; i.e., they are not in orbit about Jupiter. The absolute concentration of particles near the orbit of Jupiter is of the same order as at 1 AU: the exact ratio being a function of particle speed and spectral index. Data from one flyby are insufficient to determine a unique value for both the spectral index, p, and the particle velocity, v ∞, but limits can be set. For reasonable encounter speeds (corresponding to eccentricities and inclinations of dust particles experienced near the Earth), the particles near Jupiter are characterized by a spectrum of index p ∼ 3. The spectral index which best fits the data increases with increasing encounter speeds.