Abstract
We study dynamics of dust particles in convective vortices near the surface of Earth and Mars. Dust vortices called dust devils appear over the hot surface as a result of convective instability and are frequent phenomena for both planets. We use similarity theory to find similar scales and velocities for vortices on both planets. Collisions and friction between dust particles in a vortex lead to charging of dust particles due to triboelectric effect. As a result small particles acquire negative charges and large particles become positively charged. This leads to spatial charge separation in an upward flux and electric field generation. Electric fields in terrestrial dust vortices have been repeatedly measured. We show the model of electric field generation in a vortex and study the dynamics of dust with taking into account the electric field. We discuss the conditions under which the breakdown values of the electric field in the Martian atmosphere can be achieved. Probability of lightning phenomena in dust events on Mars and consequences of that are discussed.
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The work is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 18-72-00119).
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Izvekova, Y., Popel, S., Izvekov, O. (2019). Dust Particle Dynamics in Convective Vortices Near the Surface of the Earth: Comparison with Mars. In: Kocharyan, G., Lyakhov, A. (eds) Trigger Effects in Geosystems. Springer Proceedings in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31970-0_53
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31970-0_53
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