Dynamics of charged space debris in the Earth's plasma environment

Degrading objects in orbit around the Earth as well as solid rocket motors 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 charges and become vulnerable to the electric and magnetic fields in the Earth's magnetosphere. We show that magnetospheric effects tend to reduce 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.