Review of Martian Dust Composition, Transport, Deposition, Adhesion, and Removal

Abstract

Adverse effects of dust accumulation on spacecraft and rover surfaces hinder the functioning of equipment on Mars and consequently limit mission duration. Hence, dust is an important parameter in the design, development, and testing of equipment for Mars surface missions. A review of Martian dust composition, transport, deposition, adhesion, and removal is presented. Martian dust has consistent average chemical and mineralogical composition over the entire planet. Sources of dust transport and deposition on the surface of Mars include ordinary atmospheric settling, dust storms, dust devils, near surface saltation, and artificial human/robotic disturbance of the regolith. Mechanisms of dust adhesion include chemical bonding, cementation, ice bridges, capillary forces, van der Waals forces, and electrostatic forces. There are a number of different methods to cause particle removal including vibration, centrifuge, impact, electrostatic repulsion, liquid or air flow, thermophoresis, and direct manipulation using a mechanical device. This paper presents a summary of what is known about Martian dust and its removal to date.