THE INTERACTION OF A CLOUD OF INTERPLANETARY DUST WITH THE ATMOSPHERE

The new gas-dynamic problem of modelling the interaction between the earth's atmosphere and a large cloud of fine particles entering from space at a high velocity is considered. A model of the effect is constructed. An algorithm is developed and a detailed description is given of the numerical solution of the problem in the one-dimensional case, corresponding to the entry into the atmosphere of a plane layer of particles under certain initial conditions. Interesting effects arise from the collective interaction of a large number of particles with the atmosphere particularly due to their rapid evaporation. The results are of relevance to the extreme effects of interplanetary dust on the atmosphere, which can happen when the nucleus of a comet passes close to the earth, for example.