Collisional charging of interstellar grains

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165596· OSTI ID:5775897

Draine, B T; Sutin, B

Collisional charging of small interstellar particles is reexamined, including effects due to electrostatic polarization of grains by the electric fields of approaching charged particles. The interaction potentials and resulting energy-dependent collisional cross sections are discussed and used to obtain the collisional charging rate for grains of specified charges in a thermal plasma. The probability distribution of the grain charges is obtained, and the application of the results to the interstellar medium is illustrated by considering the power-law grain size distribution of Mathis, Rumpl, and Nordsieck (1977). It is found that dust grains with such a size distribution can contribute appreciably to the recombination of metal ions in dark clouds.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ. Observatory, NJ
• OSTI ID: 5775897
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 320; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
COOLING
COSMIC GASES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FLUIDS
GASES
GRAIN SIZE
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MICROSTRUCTURE
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
PARTICLES
POLARIZATION
RECOMBINATION
SIZE
SPACE