[X] My Assistant

[marsbug]

I read this article on electrostatic transport of dust on the lunar surface a few days ago, and I was wondering if it had ever been discussed as an erosive or constructive force? What effect might it have had on lunar geology?

[dvandorn]

Honestly, the effect of electrostatic suspension and movement of dust in the lunar environment is just barely detectable in empirical measurements taken during Apollo. It's way down in the noise on experiments that were designed to notice movement of gases and of charged particles, which ought to have seen it clearly were it an effect large enough to have an impact on lunar geology.

Put it this way -- on the maria, there are a lot of rocks that are dust-free, that have been lying on the surface for hundreds of millions of years. Heck, there are even ancient rocks in the highlands that are relatively dust-free. From what we saw when we went there, I'd have to say that impact scattering of dust is a far more substantial effect in the lunar environment than electrostatic dust levitation has ever been.

-the other Doug