A pulsed 'plasma broom' for dusting off surfaces on Mars

Dust is a challenge for the design and operation of equipment on the Martian surface, particularly for solar cells. An efficient and robust technique for removing dust and sand from surfaces immersed in CO₂ at low pressure is presented. The working principle is based on a pulsed plasma jet produced between two coaxial electrodes biased at voltages between 1 and 2 kV. A demonstration is presented using dust particles whose chemical composition mimic the Mars soil. An array of connected photovoltaic cells fully covered with dust and sand is exposed to the plasma jet. The cells open circuit voltage is monitored in real-time thus providing the means to measure the dust removal efficiency. A good cleaning efficiency is attained after a few shots in a geometry where the plasma jet is directed perpendicularly to the dusty surface. The main advantage of this approach lies in the opportunity to apply it directly at about 5 Torr, the pressure of the Martian environment. A numerical evaluation shows that the plasma drag force on a dust particle is orders of magnitude higher than its weight depending on plasma density and flow speed, hence validating the principles of this cleaning technique. (paper)