Modeling Meteoroid Impacts on the Juno Spacecraft

Abstract Events which meet certain criteria from star-tracker images on board the Juno spacecraft have been proposed to be due interplanetary dust particle impacts its solar arrays. These events suggested caused by particles with diameters larger than 10 μ m. Here, we compare reported event rates expected dust-impact using dynamical meteoroid models for four most abundant meteoroid/dust populations in inner system. We find that predicted are not compatible either observations terms of number per day, or variations flux Juno’s panels time and position For example, rate antisunward surfaces is largest during a period experience peak impact fluxes opposite, sunward hemisphere. also investigate hypothesis leaving Martian Hill sphere originating surface Mars itself one moons. do such hypothetical source able reproduce event-rate observed Juno. conclude unlikely result instantaneous zodiacal cloud.