Applications of PVDF dust sensor systems in space

The advantages of ruggedness, no bias requirement, ease of large area sensor construction, high counting rate capability, and space reliability inherent in the Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) dust sensors which have been under development at the University of Chicago over the last decade have led to PVDF flux/mass/velocity/trajectory systems which have advantages over other systems and are well suited for a variety of dust studies in space. The thermal stability characteristics and flux/mass/velocity/trajectory determining characteristics of PVDF and Vinylidene Fluoride/Trifluoroethylene (PVDF copolymer) dust sensors are described. We summarize the objectives and designs of our earlier VEGA- comet Halley instruments, a PVDF velocity/trajectory dust instrument for launch on the Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS) in January 1996, and a PVDF high flux dust instrument for launch on the CASSINI spacecraft to Saturn in October 1997.