Author
Wei Jia Ong
Other affiliations: University of Washington
Bio: Wei Jia Ong is an academic researcher from Washington University in St. Louis. The author has contributed to research in topics: Cosmic dust & Interplanetary dust cloud. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 5 publications receiving 184 citations. Previous affiliations of Wei Jia Ong include University of Washington.
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University of California, Berkeley1, United States Naval Research Laboratory2, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory3, Goethe University Frankfurt4, State University of New York at Plattsburgh5, Jacobs Engineering Group6, Heidelberg University7, Carnegie Institution for Science8, Field Museum of Natural History9, University of Leicester10, University of Washington11, University of Kent12, Ghent University13, University of New Mexico14, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility15, University of Chicago16, Washington University in St. Louis17, Max Planck Society18, International Space Science Institute19, Natural History Museum20, Argonne National Laboratory21, École normale supérieure de Lyon22, university of lille23, Ames Research Center24, University of Stuttgart25, Jet Propulsion Laboratory26
TL;DR: The Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector captured seven particles and returned to Earth for laboratory analysis have features consistent with an origin in the contemporary interstellar dust stream and more than 50 spacecraft debris particles were also identified as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Seven particles captured by the Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector and returned to Earth for laboratory analysis have features consistent with an origin in the contemporary interstellar dust stream. More than 50 spacecraft debris particles were also identified. The interstellar dust candidates are readily distinguished from debris impacts on the basis of elemental composition and/or impact trajectory. The seven candidate interstellar particles are diverse in elemental composition, crystal structure, and size. The presence of crystalline grains and multiple iron-bearing phases, including sulfide, in some particles indicates that individual interstellar particles diverge from any one representative model of interstellar dust inferred from astronomical observations and theory.
176 citations
United States Naval Research Laboratory1, Field Museum of Natural History2, Space Sciences Laboratory3, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory4, Goethe University Frankfurt5, University of Leicester6, University of Washington7, University of Kent8, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility9, George Washington University10, University of Chicago11, Washington University in St. Louis12, State University of New York at Plattsburgh13, Max Planck Society14, Heidelberg University15, Natural History Museum16, Sandia National Laboratories17, Argonne National Laboratory18, École normale supérieure de Lyon19, Carnegie Institution for Science20, University of Hawaii at Manoa21, Ames Research Center22, Ghent University23, Braunschweig University of Technology24, University of Stuttgart25, Jet Propulsion Laboratory26, Osaka University27
TL;DR: The Stardust Interstellar Preliminary Examination team analyzed thirteen Al foils from the NASA Stardust interstellar collector tray in order to locate candidate interstellar dust (ISD) grain impacts.
Abstract: The Stardust Interstellar Preliminary Examination team analyzed thirteen Al foils from the NASA Stardust interstellar collector tray in order to locate candidate interstellar dust (ISD) grain impacts. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images reveal that the foils possess abundant impact crater and crater-like features. Elemental analyses of the crater features, with Auger electron spectroscopy, SEM-based energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscope-based EDX spectroscopy, demonstrate that the majority are either the result of impacting debris fragments from the spacecraft solar panels, or intrinsic defects in the foil. The elemental analyses also reveal that four craters contain residues of a definite extraterrestrial origin, either as interplanetary dust particles or ISD particles. These four craters are designated level 2 interstellar candidates, based on the crater shapes indicative of hypervelocity impacts and the residue compositions inconsistent with spacecraft debris.
22 citations
07 Mar 2011
TL;DR: In addition to samples from comet 81P/Wild 2, NASA's Stardust mission may have returned the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust as discussed by the authors, which was collected for 229 days during two exposures prior to the spacecraft encounter with Wild 2 and tracked the interstellar dust stream for all but 34 days.
Abstract: In addition to samples from comet 81P/Wild 2, NASA's Stardust mission may have returned the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust. The interstellar tray collected particles for 229 days during two exposures prior to the spacecraft encounter with Wild 2 and tracked the interstellar dust stream for all but 34 days of that time. In addition to aerogel capture cells, the tray contains Al foils that make up approx.15% of the total exposed collection surface . Interstellar dust fluxes are poorly constrained, but suggest that on the order of 12-15 particles may have impacted the total exposed foil area of 15,300 sq mm; 2/3 of these are estimated to be less than approx.1 micrometer in size . Examination of the interstellar foils to locate the small rare craters expected from these impacts is proceeding under the auspices of the Stardust Interstellar Preliminary Examination (ISPE) plan. Below we outline the automated high-resolution imaging protocol we have established for this work and report results obtained from two interstellar foils.
4 citations
University of California, Berkeley1, United States Naval Research Laboratory2, Goethe University Frankfurt3, State University of New York System4, Heidelberg University5, University of Grenoble6, Field Museum of Natural History7, University of Leicester8, University of Washington9, University of Kent10, Ghent University11, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility12, University of Chicago13, Washington University in St. Louis14, Max Planck Society15, American Museum of Natural History16, Ames Research Center17
TL;DR: The Stardust spacecraft carried the first spaceborne collector specifically designed to capture and return a sample of contemporary interstellar dust to terrestrial laboratories for analysis as mentioned in this paper, and the collector was exposed to the interstellar dust stream in two periods in 2000 and 2002 with a total exposure of approximately 1.8 10(exp 6) square meters sec. Approximately 85% of the collector consisted of aerogel, and the remainder consisted of Al foils.
Abstract: The Stardust spacecraft carried the first spaceborne collector specifically designed to capture and return a sample of contemporary interstellar dust to terrestrial laboratories for analysis [1]. The collector was exposed to the interstellar dust stream in two periods in 2000 and 2002 with a total exposure of approximately 1.8 10(exp 6) square meters sec. Approximately 85% of the collector consisted of aerogel, and the remainder consisted of Al foils. The Stardust Interstellar Preliminary Examination (ISPE) was a consortiumbased effort to characterize the collection in sufficient detail to enable future investigators to make informed sample requests. Among the questions to be answered were these: How many impacts are consistent in their characteristics with interstellar dust, with interplanetary dust, and with secondary ejecta from impacts on the spacecraft? Are the materials amorphous or crystalline? Are organics detectable? An additional goal of the ISPE was to develop or refine the techniques for preparation, analysis, and curation of these tiny samples, expected to be approximately 1 picogram or smaller, roughly three orders of magnitude smaller in mass than the samples in other small particle collections in NASA's collections - the cometary samples returned by Stardust, and the collection of Interplanetary Dust Particles collected in the stratosphere.
1 citations
01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: Seven particles captured by the Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector and returned to Earth for laboratory analysis have features consistent with an origin in the contemporary interstellar dust stream, and are diverse in elemental composition, crystal structure, and size.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the extensive experimental and computer simulation studies that have been performed over the past several decades on what the nature of the primary damage is, and provide alternatives to the current international standard for quantifying this energetic particle damage, the Norgett-Robinson-Torrens displacements per atom (NRT-dpa) model for metals.
334 citations
TL;DR: The THEMIS (The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids) model as discussed by the authors is based upon a core model that was developed to explain the dust extinction and emission in the diffuse interstellar medium.
Abstract: Here we introduce the interstellar dust modelling framework THEMIS (The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids), which takes a global view of dust and its evolution in response to the local conditions in interstellar media. This approach is built upon a core model that was developed to explain the dust extinction and emission in the diffuse interstellar medium. The model was then further developed to self-consistently include the effects of dust evolution in the transition to denser regions. The THEMIS approach is under continuous development and currently we are extending the framework to explore the implications of dust evolution in HII regions and the photon-dominated regions associated with star formation. We provide links to the THEMIS, DustEM and DustPedia websites where more information about the model, its input data and applications can be found.
204 citations
TL;DR: The THEMIS (The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids) model as discussed by the authors is based on a core model that was developed to explain the dust extinction and emission in the diffuse interstellar medium.
Abstract: Here we introduce the interstellar dust modelling framework THEMIS (The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids), which takes a global view of dust and its evolution in response to the local conditions in interstellar media. This approach is built upon a core model that was developed to explain the dust extinction and emission in the diffuse interstellar medium. The model was then further developed to self-consistently include the effects of dust evolution in the transition to denser regions. The THEMIS approach is under continuous development and we are currently extending the framework to explore the implications of dust evolution in HII regions and the photon-dominated regions associated with star formation. We provide links to the THEMIS, DustEM and DustPedia websites where more information about the model, its input data and applications can be found.
199 citations
University of California, Berkeley1, United States Naval Research Laboratory2, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory3, Goethe University Frankfurt4, State University of New York at Plattsburgh5, Jacobs Engineering Group6, Heidelberg University7, Carnegie Institution for Science8, Field Museum of Natural History9, University of Leicester10, University of Washington11, University of Kent12, Ghent University13, University of New Mexico14, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility15, University of Chicago16, Washington University in St. Louis17, Max Planck Society18, International Space Science Institute19, Natural History Museum20, Argonne National Laboratory21, École normale supérieure de Lyon22, university of lille23, Ames Research Center24, University of Stuttgart25, Jet Propulsion Laboratory26
TL;DR: The Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector captured seven particles and returned to Earth for laboratory analysis have features consistent with an origin in the contemporary interstellar dust stream and more than 50 spacecraft debris particles were also identified as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Seven particles captured by the Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector and returned to Earth for laboratory analysis have features consistent with an origin in the contemporary interstellar dust stream. More than 50 spacecraft debris particles were also identified. The interstellar dust candidates are readily distinguished from debris impacts on the basis of elemental composition and/or impact trajectory. The seven candidate interstellar particles are diverse in elemental composition, crystal structure, and size. The presence of crystalline grains and multiple iron-bearing phases, including sulfide, in some particles indicates that individual interstellar particles diverge from any one representative model of interstellar dust inferred from astronomical observations and theory.
176 citations
28 Jan 2012
TL;DR: In this paper, an isotopically and chemically homogenized interstellar amorphous silicate dust (GEMS) grains were found to have complementary compositions to the crystalline components in IDPs suggesting that they formed from the same reservoir.
Abstract: Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the Earth s stratosphere contain high abundances of submicrometer amorphous silicates known as GEMS grains. From their birth as condensates in the outflows of oxygen-rich evolved stars, processing in interstellar space, and incorporation into disks around new stars, amorphous silicates predominate in most astrophysical environments. Amorphous silicates were a major building block of our Solar System and are prominent in infrared spectra of comets. Anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) thought to derive from comets contain abundant amorphous silicates known as GEMS (glass with embedded metal and sulfides) grains. GEMS grains have been proposed to be isotopically and chemically homogenized interstellar amorphous silicate dust. We evaluated this hypothesis through coordinated chemical and isotopic analyses of GEMS grains in a suite of IDPs to constrain their origins. GEMS grains show order of magnitude variations in Mg, Fe, Ca, and S abundances. GEMS grains do not match the average element abundances inferred for ISM dust containing on average, too little Mg, Fe, and Ca, and too much S. GEMS grains have complementary compositions to the crystalline components in IDPs suggesting that they formed from the same reservoir. We did not observe any unequivocal microstructural or chemical evidence that GEMS grains experienced prolonged exposure to radiation. We identified four GEMS grains having O isotopic compositions that point to origins in red giant branch or asymptotic giant branch stars and supernovae. Based on their O isotopic compositions, we estimate that 1-6% of GEMS grains are surviving circumstellar grains. The remaining 94-99% of GEMS grains have O isotopic compositions that are indistinguishable from terrestrial materials and carbonaceous chondrites. These isotopically solar GEMS grains either formed in the Solar System or were completely homogenized in the interstellar medium (ISM). However, the chemical compositions of GEMS grains are extremely heterogeneous and seem to rule out this possibility. Based on their solar isotopic compositions and their non-solar elemental compositions we propose that most GEMS grains formed in the nebula as late-stage non-equilibrium condensates.
137 citations