Plasma Emission from High Velocity Impacts of Microparticles Onto Water Ice

Abstract

Collisions of icy objects play a major role in the outer solar system. The purpose of this investigation is the experimental study of plasma production by dust impacts on icy surfaces. Impact speeds ranged from 3 to 60 km/s. It was found that the dominant ion species which were released are both positive and negative water clusters. The impact charge yield from icy surfaces is approximately a factor 100 below that from previously studied gold surfaces.