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This article explores the topic of cosmic dust and its significance in understanding the universe. Cosmic dust is found throughout our solar system and beyond, and it has posed challenges for astronomers in studying celestial objects. However, advancements in science and technology have allowed researchers to use cosmic dust as a valuable source of information about the composition and evolution of distant bodies in the universe. The article discusses the different types of cosmic dust, its role in phenomena such as interstellar reddening, and its potential to provide insights into the early stages of the universe and the origin of life on Earth. It also highlights recent space missions and laboratory simulations that have contributed to our understanding of cosmic dust. The collection of articles in this special issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A focuses on specific aspects of cosmic dust research, including the detection and analysis of meteors and meteorites, in situ detection of dust particles in interplanetary space, and laboratory simulations of icy dust grains from subsurface ocean-bearing icy moons. [Extracted from the article]

Meteoric ablation in the Earth's atmosphere produces particles of nanometer size and larger. These particles can become charged and influence the charge balance in the D region (60–90 km) and the incoherent scatter observed with radar from there. Radar studies have shown that, if enough dust particles are charged, they can influence the received radar spectrum below 100 km, provided the electron density is sufficiently high (>109 m 3). Here, we study an observation made with the EISCAT VHF radar on 9 January 2014 during strong particle precipitation so that incoherent scatter was observed down to almost 60 km altitude. We found that the measured spectra were too narrow in comparison to the calculated spectra. Adjusting the collision frequency provided a better fit in the frequency range of ± 10–30 Hz. However, this did not lead to the best fit in all cases, especially not for the central part of the spectra in the narrow frequency range of ±10 Hz. By including a negatively charged dust component, we obtained a better fit for spectra observed at altitudes of 75–85 km, indicating that dust influences the incoherent-scatter spectrum at D-region altitudes. The observations at lower altitudes were limited by the small number of free electrons, and observations at higher altitudes were limited by the height resolution of the observations. Inferred dust number densities range from a few particles up to 104 cm -3 , and average sizes range from approximately 0.6 to 1 nm. We find an acceptable agreement with the dust profiles calculated with the WACCM-CARMA (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model-Community Aerosol Radiation Model for Atmospheres) model. However, these do not include charging, which is also based on models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar Orbiter is equipped with electrical antennas performing fast measurements of the surrounding electric field. The antennas register high-velocity dust impacts through the electrical signatures of impact ionization. Although the basic principle of the detection has been known for decades, the understanding of the underlying process is not complete, due to the unique mechanical and electrical design of each spacecraft and the variability of the process. We present a study of electrical signatures of dust impacts on Solar Orbiter's body, as measured with the Radio and Plasma Waves electrical suite. A large proportion of the signatures present double-peak electrical waveforms in addition to the fast pre-spike due to electron motion, which are systematically observed for the first time. We believe this is due to Solar Orbiter's unique antenna design and a high temporal resolution of the measurements. The double peaks are explained as being due to two distinct processes. Qualitative and quantitative features of both peaks are described. The process for producing the primary peak has been studied extensively before, and the process for producing the secondary peak has been proposed before for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), although the corresponding delay of 100–300 µ s between the primary and the secondary peak has not been observed until now. Based on this study, we conclude that the primary peak's amplitude is the better measure of the impact-produced charge, for which we find a typical value of around 8 pC. Therefore, the primary peak should be used to derive the impact-generated charge rather than the maximum. The observed asymmetry between the primary peaks measured with individual antennas is quantitatively explained as electrostatic induction. A relationship between the amplitude of the primary and the secondary peak is found to be non-linear, and the relation is partially explained with a model for electrical interaction through the antennas' photoelectron sheath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the collection of dust from the mesosphere with the MESS instrument that is designed to fly on a sounding rocket. The instrument consists of a collection device with an opening and closure mechanism and an attached conic funnel. Attaching the funnel increases the sampling area in comparison to the collection area. The instrument will collect primary particles that directly hit the collection area and secondary particles that form from mesospheric dust hitting the funnel. We simulate the entry and impact of dust onto the detector considering their trajectories in the airflow and the fragmentation at the funnel. We estimate the collection efficiency of the instrument and the impact energy of particles at the collecting area. The design considered has a sampling area of 5 cm diameter and a collection area of 1.8 cm diameter. We use the results of the calculations to estimate the amount of dust that MESS (MEteoric Smoke Sampler) can collect during a rocket flight. We consider meteoric smoke particles (MSP) based on a model of the MSP distribution. In addition we assume that water ice particles that form close to the mesopause contain a fraction of smaller MSP. The water ice sublimates during the collection or later during rocket flight so that only refactory material remains. Assuming the collected particles contain 3% volume fraction of MSP, we find that the instrument would collect of the order of 1014 to 1015 amu of refractory MSP particles. The estimate basis on the assumption that the ice components are melting and the flow conditions in the instruments are for typical atmospheric pressures at 85 km. Aside from the instrument conditions that we investigate in this paper, our estimate of the mass that we expect to collect with MESS applies the results from a particle transport model for the meteoric smoke particles and from the description of noctilucent cloud particles based on published model and observational results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar Orbiter is equipped with electrical antennas performing fast measurements of the surrounding electric field. The antennas register high velocity dust impacts through the electrical signatures of impact ionization. Although the basic principle of the detection has been known for decades, the understanding of the underlying process is not complete, due to unique mechanical and electrical design of each spacecraft and the variability of the process. We present a study of electrical signatures of dust impacts on Solar Orbiter's body, as measured with Radio and Plasma Waves electrical suite. A large proportion of the signatures present a double-peak electrical waveforms in addition to the fast pre-spike due to electron motion, which are systematically observed for the first time. We believe this is due to Solar Orbiter's unique antenna design and a high temporal resolution of the measurements. The double peaks are explained as due to two distinct processes. Qualitative and quantitative features of both peaks are described. The process for producing the primary peak is known for a long time and the process for producing the secondary peak was proposed before (Pantellini et al., 2012a) for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), although the corresponding delay of 100 μs – 300 μs against the primary peak was not observed until now. The primary peak's amplitude is believed to be the better measure of the impact-produced charge and suggests that the typical amount is around 8 pC. The observed asymmetry between the primary peaks measured with individual antennas is quantitatively explained as electrostatic induction. A relationship between the primary and the secondary peaks' amplitudes is found to be non-linear and the relation is partially explained with a model for electrical interaction through the antennas' photoelectron sheath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric Gravity Waves and Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances can be observed in the neutral atmosphere and the ionosphere at a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Especially at medium scales, these oscillations are often not resolved in general circulation models and are parameterized. We show that ionospheric disturbances forced by upward propagating atmospheric gravity waves can be simultaneously observed with the EISCAT Very High Frequency incoherent scatter radar and the Nordic Meteor Radar Cluster. From combined multi-static measurements, both vertical and horizontal wave parameters can be determined by applying a specially developed Fourier filter analysis method. This method is demonstrated using the example of a strongly pronounced wave mode that occurred during the EISCAT experiment on 7 July 2020. Leveraging the developed technique, we show that the wave characteristics of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances are notably impacted by the fall transition of the mesosphere/lower thermosphere. We also demonstrate the application of using the determined wave parameters to infer the thermospheric neutral wind velocities. Applying the dissipative anelastic gravity wave dispersion relation, we obtain vertical wind profiles in the lower thermosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]