Micrometeorites: A rain of cosmic dust

Dr.Matthew Genge (Imperial College London) is a renowned expert on
micrometeorites and meteorites.  He will give a lecture at GEO on FEB 4
(12:15 - 13:00). Loc: Auditorium 3.

Title: Micrometeorites: A rain of cosmic dust

Abstract: Every year a rain of cosmic dust falls on Earth. These tiny
dust particles, called micrometeorites, are all around us, in the
streets, in our homes, even on our clothes. Despite their ubiquity these
particles are difficult to find amongst the billions of terrestrial dust
grains. Collecting micrometeorites involves searching for them in
locations where their is little terrestrial sediment, such as within
Antarctic ice. These small rocks are, however, worth the effort, since
they are samples of asteroids and comets and record the conditions under
which our solar system formed. In the rain of cosmic dust, therefore,
are answers to fundamental questions such as "why are we here" and "are
we alone in the universe".