Ladustustsoonides

Ladustustsoonides are a hypothetical class of atmospheric dust plumes used in planetary science to describe sudden, localized surges of fine surface material lofted into a planet's or moon's atmosphere. The term is a coined neologism that conveys rapid plume onset and dense, optically active dust clouds in low- to moderate-density atmospheres. The concept serves as a framework for discussing transient dust transport events that resemble dust storms but unfold on much shorter time scales.

Mechanism and characteristics: Ladustustsoonides are theorized to originate when regolith dust is destabilized by a combination of micro-meteoroid impacts, electrostatic charging, and buoyant atmospheric convection. This combination can loft fine particles into suspension, where they are advected by local winds and convection currents, producing a bright plume that can be detected by reflected sunlight or scattered radiation. Plumes are typically short-lived, decaying as sedimentation, cooling, or atmospheric mixing halts lofting.

Occurrence and observation: The phenomenon is predicted for worlds with thin to moderate atmospheres and dusty surfaces, including Mars-like planets, asteroids with exospheres, or moons with transient atmospheres. To date, ladustustsoonides have not been unambiguously observed; researchers rely on simulations and analogue experiments to study their signatures, such as abrupt changes in albedo, transient spectral features of silicate dust, or localized brightness enhancements.

Research and significance: If real, ladustustsoonides would inform understanding of surface-atmosphere coupling, dust transport, and hazard assessment for spacecraft. They are primarily a theoretical construct used to probe dynamics of dusty atmospheres.