Orbital and physical characteristics of micrometeoroids in the inner solar system as observed by Helios 1

Abstract

The Helios 1 spacecraft was launched in December 1974 into a heliocentric orbit of 0.3 AU perihelion distance. Helios 2 followed one year later on a similar orbit. Both spaceprobes carry on board micrometeoroid experiments each of which contains two sensors with a total sensitive area of 121 cm 2. To date, only preliminary data are available from Helios 2. Therefore the results presented here mainly apply to data from Helios 1. The ecliptic sensor of Helios 1 measures dust particles which have trajectories with elevations from −45° to + 55° with respect to the ecliptic plane. The south sensor detects dust particles with trajectory elevations from −90° (ecliptic south-pole) to −4°. The ecliptic sensor is covered by a thin film (3000 Å parylene coated with 750 Å aluminium) as protection against solar radiation. The other sensor is shielded by the spacecraft rim from direct sunlight and has an open aperture. Micrometeoroids are detected by the electric charge produced upon impact. During the first 6 orbits of Helios 1 around the sun the experiment registered a total of 168 meteoroids, 52 particles were detected by the ecliptic sensor and 116 particles by the south sensor. This excess of impacts on the south sensor with regard to the impacts on the ecliptic sensor is due predominantly to small impacts which are characterized by small pulse heights of the charge signals. But also large impacts were statistically significantly more abundant on the south sensor than on the ecliptic sensor. Most impacts on the ecliptic sensor were observed when it was pointing in the direction of motion of Helios (apex direction). In contrast to that the south sensor detected most impacts when it was facing in between the solar and antapex direction. Orbit analysis showed that the “apex” particles which are predominantly detected by the ecliptic sensor have eccentricities e < 0.4 or semi-major axes a ⩽ 0.5 AU. From a comparison with corresponding data from the south sensor it is concluded that the average inclination f of “apex” particles is - i < 30°. The excess of impacts on the south sensor, called “eccentric” particles, have orbit eccentricities e > 0.4 and semimajor axes a > 0.5 AU. β-meteoroids leaving the solar system on hyperbolic orbits are directly identified by the observed imbalance of outgoing (away from the sun) and ingoing particles. It is shown that “eccentric” particles, due to their orbital characteristics, should be observable also by the ecliptic sensor. Since they have not been detected by this sensor it is concluded that the only instrumental difference between both sensors, i.e. the entrance film in front of the ecliptic sensor, prevented them from entering it. A comparison with penetration studies proved that particles which do not penetrate the entrance film must have bulk densities ρ( g/ cm 3) below an upper density limit ρ max. It is shown that approximately 30% of the “eccentric” particles have densities below ρ max = 1 g/ cm 3.