Microgravity Research

Campaign II

 

 

High Altitude Weightless and Gravitational Separation: Further Investigation into Gravitational Affects on Fluidized Particle Sorting

Have you ever taken a few moments to look up into the night sky? Beyond what is visible to the naked eye is a vast myriad of meteoroids, asteroids and comets. What are they like? What would we see if we were to upon them? How can this knowledge be used to our benefit? Current theory suggests some may have a surface of loose, metal rich soil. This soil bed has surely undergone sorting over its lifetime. Meteorite samples show the particles sorted into distinct strata. If this were to happen via gas flow to the surface, the sorting would depend on gas velocity and the bodyıs gravity. This type of behavior was simulated in our previous experiment, where different ratios of sand and iron particles were tested to determine the nature of particle separation by size and density via fluidization. However, velocity was arbitrarily chosen and remained constant, therefore further analysis is required. Our experiment will examine how air velocity affects the behavior of one pre-determined common ratio of silicate/metal particles in microgravity. A simple system allows air to flow from a tank to two Plexiglas cylinders containing equal amounts of the sand/iron mixture. Manipulation of the airflow will be our primary responsibility. During the last 10 parabolas, projectiles will be launched into the bed to simulate impacts in hopes of describing features discovered during the NEAR-Shoemaker touchdown. Data analysis will consist of qualitative observation of the experiment and quantitative analysis of separation using imaging software on our stored data. Understanding the formation has many potential applications in mining of valuable materials from asteroids and dead comets in addition to future colonization endeavors. Fluidization research may enable prediction of where metals are within the crusts of planetary bodies, allowing reliable prospecting and faster, less costly extraction. Future colonization of the moon or Mars may depend on our ability to efficiently locate and extract valuable resources from the surface.

 

Undergraduate Students

James Czaplinsky

Ryan Godsey

Michael Myers

Amber Straughn (nee Holley)

 

Ground crew

Melissa Franzen

Shauntae Moore

Melissa Franzen

Paul Benoit

 

Faculty Advisor

Derek Sears

 

Accompanying Journalist

Kelly Beaty

 

Flight

July 2001

 

Resulting conference presentations

Benoit P.H., Franzen M., Czlapinski J., Godsey R.D., Meyer M.C., Straughn A., and Sears D.W.G. (2002) Metal-silicate fractionation in chondritic meteorites:  Experiments under microgravity conditions. 33rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, Abstract #1633, Lunar and Planetary Institute (CD-ROM).

Sears D.W.G., Moore S.R., Nichols S., Kareev M., Benoit P.H. (2002)  Intuition and experience:  Asteroid surfaces, meteorites and planetary geosciences in microgravity.  Bull. Amer. Astron. Soc. 33, 1054.

Moore, S. R.; Franzen, M.; Benoit, P. H.; Sears, D. W. G.; Holley, A.; Meyers, M.; Godsey, R.; Czlapinski, J. (2003)    The Origin of Chondrites: Metal-Silicate Separation Experiments Under Microgravity Conditions.  34th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, Abstract #1046, Lunar and Planetary Institute (CD-ROM).

 

Resulting publication

Moore S. R., Franzen M., Benoit P. H., Sears D. W. G., Holley A., Myers M., Godsey R., and Czlapinsky J. (2003)  The origin of chondrites:  Metal-silicate separation experiments under microgravity conditions - II.  Geophys. Res. Lett. 30, Issue 10, pp. 29-1, Cite ID 1522, DOI 10.1029/2002GL016860.