Ingrid Mann

Light scattering by cometary dust numerically simulated with aggregate particles consisting of identical spheres

Context. Optical characterization of dust particles in cometary comae is based on axa0comparison between observations and simulations of solar radiation scattered by cometary dust. Aims. Our recent studies suggest that all the observed features can be reproduced by dust aggregates consisting of optically dark submicrometer-size grains when the overall sizes of the aggregates are much larger than visible wavelengths. Methods. To put constraints on the properties of cometary dust aggregates, we thoroughly investigate the angular and spectral dependencies of intensity and polarization for aggregate particles consisting of identical homogeneous spheres based on axa0rigorous light-scattering theory. Results. The optimum parameters found through our comprehensive survey are

Optical properties of cometary dust - Constraints from numerical studies on light scattering by aggregate particles

{a}_{{rm V}} gg 0.6~mu

Elemental Abundances and Mass Densities of Dust and Gas in the Local Interstellar Cloud

m for the radius of aggregates,

Composition, Structure, and Size Distribution of Dust in the Local Interstellar Cloud

{a}_{{rm m}} approx 0.1~mu

Dust destruction and ion formation in the inner solar system

m for the radius of constituent spheres,

Momentum transfer to fluffy dust aggregates from stellar winds

n approx 1.8

Small bodies in planetary systems

–2.0 for the real part of the refractive index,

On the existence of silicon nanodust near the sun

k approx 0.4

Applicability of the discrete-dipole approximation to light-scattering simulations of large cosmic dust aggregates

–0.6 for the imaginary part and

Nanodust Detection between 1 and 5 AU Using Cassini Wave Measurements

{rm d}m/{rm d}lambda ga 0