A GENERAL MULTICOMPONENT METHOD FOR THE DESCRIPTION OF DUST GRAIN PROCESSING

We derive a special differential form of a balance or conservation equ ation for the grain size distribution function. This equation describe s the evolution of the grain size spectrum in one-dimensional stationa ry flows also taking into account possible size dependent drift veloci ties of the grains relative to the gas how. Various physical and chemi cal processes acting differently on grains of different size and veloc ities can be treated simultaneously: grain condensation, growth and ev aporation, mechanical and chemical sputtering, grain coagulation and s hattering. A corresponding computational multi-component method is pre sented and we provide some details on efficient implementation. As a t est calculation the numerical scheme is applied to investigate mechani cal sputtering of grains due to dense shocks.