Open AccessPeriodic Influx of Interplanetary Dust Particles into the Terrestrial Atmosphere
Author(s) -
Prabhat K. Gupta
Publication year - 1954
Publication title -
mausam
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.243
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 0252-9416
DOI - 10.54302/mausam.v5i3.4878
Subject(s) - interplanetary dust cloud , astrobiology , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , interplanetary spaceflight , cosmic dust , environmental science , solar wind , physics , solar system , meteorology , plasma , quantum mechanics
In this paper a brief account is at first given of some available evidences on the influx of interplanetary dust particles into the terrestrial atmosphere, viz. , presence of sodium at high altitudes, appearance of noctilucent clouds, pitting of polished surfaces during high altitude rocket flights, high nickel content in deep sea sediments and periodic occurrence of heavy rainfall in association with meteor showers. These dust particles have sizes of the same order as of those which account for the outer corona of the Sun, but terrestrial evidences suggest a higher concentration in the Vicinity of the Earth. Discussing the processes which are responsible for the high concentration of dust particles, it has been suggested that solar corpuscular streams push interplanetary dust particles towards the Earth by repeated impacts. This mechanism is expected to give rise to an accumulation of dust particles near the Earth, as well as in the plane of ecliptic.