THE MAIN PARAMETETER DESIGN OF FARADAY CUP TO MEASURE THE CHARGE OF MARTIAN DUST

Airborne dust is a primary factor influencing climate on Mars. It is highly probable that the particles are charged electro-statically by triboelectrification and by UV irradiation. Electrostatic charge carried by dust particles can play a role in their suspension, settling, and adhesion to spacecraft surfaces. Furthermore, the possiblility for atmospheric discharges on Mars remains an open and important question. The research will be helpful to understand the relationship between the nature, the origin of the dust and the planet. This paper describes the instruments and experiments from laboratory and field tests. It estimates dust deposition velocity through Stokes formula and the Faraday cup is proposed for in situ electrostatic characterization of Martian dust. It provides some theoretical and technical reference for our Mars exploration.