DYNAMICS OF CHARGED SPACE DEBRIS IN THE EARTHS PLASMA ENVIRONMENT

Degrading objects in orbit around the Earth as well as solid rocket mo tors generate micron- and submicron-sized space debris. The motion of these particles is dictated by gravity, solar radiation pressure, and electromagnetic forces, since these grains collect electrostatic charg es and become vulnerable to the electric and magnetic fields in the Ea rth's magnetosphere. We show that magnetospheric effects tend to reduc e the lifetime of these grains either by forcing them onto elliptical orbits to collide with the Earth or by swiftly ejecting them into the interplanetary space.