arXiv subjects

Maximilian Sommer

Publications and source records attributed to Maximilian Sommer.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A second planetesimal collision in the Fomalhaut system

The nearby star Fomalhaut is orbited by a compact source, Fomalhaut b, which has previously been interpreted as either a dust-enshrouded exoplanet or a dust cloud generated by the collision of two planetesimals. Such collisions are rarely observed but their debris can appear in direct imaging. We report Hubble Space Telescope observations that show the appearance in 2023 of a second point source around Fomalhaut, resembling the appearance of Fomalhaut b twenty years earlier. We interpret this additional source as a dust cloud produced by a recent impact between two planetesimals. The positions and motion of two impact-generated dust clouds over twenty years provide constraints on the collisional dynamics in the debris belt.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2023

Alpha-Meteoroids then and now: Unearthing an overlooked micrometeoroid population

The term `$α$-meteoroid' was introduced to describe a group of micrometeoroids with certain dynamical properties, which -- alongside the group of the $β$-meteoroids -- had been identified by the first generation of reliable in-situ dust detectors in interplanetary space. In recent years, use of the term $α$-meteoroid has become more frequent again, under a subtly but crucially altered definition. This work shall bring attention to the discrepancy between the term's original and newly established meaning, and spotlight the now-overlooked group of particles that the term used to describe. We review past and present pertinent literature around the term $α$-meteoroid, and assess the dynamics of the originally referred-to particles with respect to possible sources, showing that their formation is the expected consequence of collisional grinding of the zodiacal cloud at short heliocentric distances. The abundance of the original $α$-meteoroids, which are essentially `bound $β$-meteoroids', makes them relevant to all in-situ dust experiments in the inner solar system. Due to the change of the term's meaning, however, they are not considered by contemporary studies. The characterization of this particle population could elucidate the processing of the innermost zodiacal cloud, and should thus be objective of upcoming in-situ dust experiments. The attained ambiguity of the term $α$-meteoroid is not easily resolved, warranting great care and clarity going forward.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2023

Synergies between interstellar dust and heliospheric science with an Interstellar Probe

We discuss the synergies between heliospheric and dust science, the open science questions, the technological endeavors and programmatic aspects that are important to maintain or develop in the decade to come. In particular, we illustrate how we can use interstellar dust in the solar system as a tracer for the (dynamic) heliosphere properties, and emphasize the fairly unexplored, but potentially important science question of the role of cosmic dust in heliospheric and astrospheric physics. We show that an Interstellar Probe mission with a dedicated dust suite would bring unprecedented advances to interstellar dust research, and can also contribute-through measuring dust - to heliospheric science. This can, in particular, be done well if we work in synergy with other missions inside the solar system, thereby using multiple vantage points in space to measure the dust as it `rolls' into the heliosphere. Such synergies between missions inside the solar system and far out are crucial for disentangling the spatially and temporally varying dust flow. Finally, we highlight the relevant instrumentation and its suitability for contributing to finding answers to the research questions.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2021

Modelling cometary meteoroid stream traverses of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft en route to Phobos

The Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) spacecraft is a JAXA mission to Mars and its moons Phobos and Deimos. MMX will carry the Circum-Martian Dust Monitor (CMDM) which is a newly developed light-weight ($\mathrm{650\,g}$) large area ($\mathrm{1\,m^2}$) dust impact detector. Cometary meteoroid streams (also referred to as trails) exist along the orbits of comets, forming fine structures of the interplanetary dust cloud. The streams consist predominantly of the largest cometary particles (with sizes of approximately $\mathrm{100\,μm}$ to 1~cm) which are ejected at low speeds and remain very close to the comet orbit for several revolutions around the Sun. The Interplanetary Meteoroid Environment for eXploration (IMEX) dust streams in space model is a new and recently published universal model for cometary meteoroid streams in the inner Solar System. We use IMEX to study the detection conditions of cometary dust stream particles with CMDM during the MMX mission in the time period 2024 to 2028. The model predicts traverses of 12 cometary meteoroid streams with fluxes of $\mathrm{100\,μm}$ and bigger particles of at least $\mathrm{10^{-3}\,m^{-2}\,day^{-1}}$ during a total time period of approximately 90~days. The highest flux of $\mathrm{0.15\,m^{-2}\,day^{-1}}$ is predicted for comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff in October 2026. With its large detection area and high sensitivity CMDM will be able to detect cometary meteoroid streams en route to Phobos. Our simulation results for the Mars orbital phase of MMX also predict the occurrence of meteor showers in the Martian atmosphere which may be observable from the Martian surface with cameras on board landers or rovers. Finally, the IMEX model can be used to study the impact hazards imposed by meteoroid impacts on to large-area spacecraft structures that will be particularly necessary for crewed deep space missions.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2020

Effects of neighbouring planets on the formation of resonant dust rings in the inner Solar System

Context. Findings by the Helios and STEREO mission have indicated the presence of a resonant circumsolar ring of dust associated with Venus. Attempts to model this phenomenon as an analogue to the resonant ring of Earth - as a result of migrating dust trapped in external mean-motion resonances (MMRs) - have so far been unable to reproduce the observed dust feature. Other theories of origin have recently been put forward. However, the reason for the low trapping efficiency of Venus's external MMRs remains unclear. Aims. Here we look into the nature of the dust trapping resonant phenomena that arise from the multi-planet configuration of the inner Solar System, aiming to add to the existent understanding of resonant dust rings in single planet systems. Methods. We numerically modelled resonant dust features associated with the inner planets and specifically looked into the dependency of these structures and the trapping efficiency of particular resonances on the configuration of planets. Results. Besides Mercury showing no resonant interaction with the migrating dust cloud, we find Venus, Earth, and Mars to considerably interfere with each other's resonances, influencing their ability to form circumsolar rings. We find that the single most important reason for the weakness of Venus's external MMR ring is the perturbing influence of its outer neighbour - Earth. In addition, we find Mercury and Mars to produce crescent-shaped density features, caused by a directed apsidal precession occurring in particles traversing their orbital region.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2019

Modelling DESTINY+ interplanetary and interstellar dust measurements en route to the active asteroid (3200) Phaethon

The JAXA/ISAS spacecraft DESTINY$^+$ will be launched to the active asteroid (3200) Phaethon in 2022. Among the proposed core payload is the DESTINY+ Dust Analyzer (DDA) which is an upgrade of the Cosmic Dust Analyzer flown on the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn (Srama et al. 2011). We use two up-to-date computer models, the ESA Interplanetary Meteoroid Engineering Model (IMEM, Dikarev et al. 2005), and the interstellar dust module of the Interplanetary Meteoroid environment for EXploration model (IMEX; Sterken2013 et al., Strub et al. 2019) to study the detection conditions and fluences of interplanetary and interstellar dust with DDA. Our results show that a statistically significant number of interplanetary and interstellar dust particles will be detectable with DDA during the 4-years interplanetary cruise of DESTINY+. The particle impact direction and speed can be used to descriminate between interstellar and interplanetary particles and likely also to distinguish between cometary and asteroidal particles.

astro-ph.EP↗