Simulation of polyvinylidene fluoride detector response to hypervelocity particle impact

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films have been utilized as interplanetary dust detectors for many years in a variety of space environments. PVDF serves as a dust detector by producing a ‘depolarization’ charge upon hypervelocity impact. Previous instruments have relied on empirical calibrations to establish the relationship between the mass and velocity of the impacting dust particle and the generated charge. Here, we present a new theoretical derivation of PVDF response to non-penetrating hypervelocity particle impacts. We compare our simulation results to experimental calibration data from the Cosmic Dust Experiment on the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere satellite and the Student Dust Counter on the New Horizons mission. The simulation results agree well with the experimental data, yet suggest a modified crater diameter scaling law for non-penetrating hypervelocity impacts into PVDF.