Dust in Protoplanetary Environments

The majority of ordinary matter in the universe (99.99%) is in a plasma state with a considerable fraction of this including dust. During planet formation within circumstellar disks, the manner in which this dust (which can be charged) coagulates is a critical step in the process, particularly in the growth of solids from the sub-millimeter to meter scales. Dust coatings, known as fine-grained rims (FGRs), have been observed on these bodies and hypothesized to form from the accretion of nebular dust onto chondrules. FGRs are therefore a key element in the formation of the chondrite parent bodies and provide insight into their collisional history. However, the mechanical evolution of FGRs remains poorly understood.