Electrostatic Discharging of Dust near the Surface of Mars

Due to the prevalence of Martian dust devils and dust storms, an understanding of the physics of electrical discharges in Martian dust is critical to future Mars exploratory missions. Measurements done in our lab on the charging of single dust grains show that particles of JSC‐Mars‐1, a Martian regolith simulant, can have large electrical potentials due to triboelectric charging. We have conducted experiments to determine the range of pressures and wind speeds over which discharges can be observed in a low‐pressure CO2 atmosphere. We have also examined the affects of particle‐size distribution on the observed discharge rates.