Impacts of Dust Grains Accelerated by Supernovae on the Moon

Abstract

There is evidence that ejecta from nearby supernovae have rained down on Earth in the past. Supernovae can accelerate pre-existing dust grains in the interstellar medium to speeds of $\sim 0.01\mathrm{c}$. We investigate the survival and impact of dust grains from supernovae on the moon, finding that supernova dust grains can form detectable tracks with widths of $\sim 0.01-0.07\mu \mathrm{m}$ and depths of $\sim 0.1-0.7\mathrm{mm}$ in lunar rocks. These tracks could potentially shed light on the timings, luminosities, and directions of nearby supernovae.

4 pages, 2 figures; accepted for publication in ApJL

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