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From: dietz%USC-CSE@USC-ECL.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: radiation drag
Message-ID: <772@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Jun-84 21:44:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.772
Posted: Mon Jun 11 21:44:00 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Jun-84 01:53:46 EDT
Lines: 9

The radiation drag I was referring to is known as the
Poynting-Robertson effect.  A particle moving through the radiation
emitted by a star will reflect (or re-emit) more energy in the
direction of motion (due to doppler shift), producing a VERY small
retarding force.  Over millions of years the particle will spiral into
the star, at a rate proportional to the particle's cross-sectional area
divided by its mass.

dietz@usc-ecla