Toward Modeling of Charged Dust Dynamics at Mesoscale Resolution

In this article, we report on the implementation of a dynamic geometry model for simulating the adhesion and transport of charged dust particles at mesoscale spatial dimensions. Specifically, we describe the implementation of an algorithm supporting the motion of individual grain “actors,” each represented by its own surface mesh. The motion of each actor is accomplished through transformation matrices mapping between the local and global coordinate systems. We demonstrate the new model by simulating initially uncharged grains resting on a spacesuit fabric. The grains and the spacesuit are exposed to a positively charged plasma beam, leading to a localized charge buildup. The dust particles subsequently levitate and fly off the surface due to the electrostatic repulsion. This work represents, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of a coupled interaction between gaseous particles and translating surfaces implemented in support of charged dust transport modeling.