Related papers: The interaction of relativistic spacecrafts with t…
The Breakthrough Initiatives Project Starshot proposes to send a gram-scale laser driven spacecraft to the Alpha Centauri system in a 20 year mission travelling at v=0.2c. One of the challenges of this mission as the spacecraft moves…
Recently, Hoang et al. (arXiv:1608.05284) reported analysis of the interaction of relativistic spacecrafts with interstellar medium (ISM, i.e. gas atoms and dust particles) relevant for the Breakthrough starshot initiative…
As part of the NASA Starlight collaboration, we look at the implications of radiation effects from impacts with the interstellar medium (ISM) on a directed energy driven relativistic spacecraft. The spacecraft experiences a stream of…
We study the drag force on dust grains moving at relativistic velocities through interstellar gas and explore its application. First, we derive a new analytical formula of the drag force at high energies and find that it is significantly…
The problem of simulating the interaction of spacecraft travelling at velocities necessary for starflight with the interplanetary and interstellar medium is considered. Interaction of protons, atoms, and ions at kinetic energies relative to…
New measurements using radio and plasma-wave instruments in interplanetary space have shown that nanometer-scale dust, or nanodust, is a significant contributor to the total mass in interplanetary space. Better measurements of nanodust will…
New measurements using radio and plasma-wave instruments in interplanetary space have shown that nanometer-scale dust, or nanodust, is a significant contributor to the total mass in interplanetary space. Better measurements of nanodust will…
Relativistic spacecraft, like those proposed by the NASA Starlight program and the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative, will have to survive radiation production that is unique when compared to that experienced by conventional spacecraft. In a…
Destruction of the interstellar dust proceeds primary behind supernova shocks. The previous estimates of the mass of the interstellar dust destroyed in the SN remnant do not take into account the physical properties of the ambient medium.…
Dust grains may be accelerated to relativistic speeds by radiation pressure, diffusive shocks, and other acceleration mechanisms. Such relativistic grains have been suggested as primary particles of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). In…
We study the hydrodynamical behavior occurring in the turbulent interaction zone of a fast moving red supergiant star, where the circumstellar and interstellar material collide. In this wind-interstellar medium collision, the familiar bow…
Context. The presence of dust in the interstellar medium has profound consequences on the chemical composition of regions where stars are forming. Recent observations show that many species formed onto dust are populating the gas phase,…
The known encounter velocity (6.1kms-1) and particle incidence angle (perpendicular) between the Stardust spacecraft and the dust emanating from the nucleus of comet Wild 2 fall within a range that allows simulation in laboratory light gas…
Galactic interstellar dust (ISD) is the major ingredient in planetary formation. However, information on this important material has been extremely limited. Recently the Ulysses dust detector has identified and measured interstellar dust…
Semi-empirical molecular dynamics is used to simulate hydrocarbon grain sputtering and collisions which are extremely difficult to study experimentally. This microscopic and dynamic approach is particularly suited to high velocity impacts,…
This dissertation explores the dynamics of relativistic spaceflight, focusing on the risks associated with collisions and photon interactions as a spacecraft approaches velocities near the speed of light. The study emphasizes two primary…
One of the most popular explanations for the so-called alignment effect in high redshift (z>0.7) radio galaxies is the scattering by dust of the hidden quasar light. As shown by De Young (1998) a problem with the dust scattering model is…
Laser sails propelled by gigawatt-scale ground-based laser arrays have the potential to reach relativistic speeds, traversing the solar system in hours and reaching nearby stars in years. Here, we describe the danger interplanetary dust…
One proposed method for spacecraft to reach nearby stars is by accelerating sails using either solar radiation pressure or directed energy. This idea constitutes the thesis behind the Breakthrough Starshot project, which aims to accelerate…
Interstellar dust at high Galactic latitudes can influence astronomical foreground subtraction, produce diffuse scattered light, and soften the ultraviolet spectra of quasars. In a sample of 94 sight lines toward quasars at high latitude…