Internal structure of desert dust particles revealed

In a recent study that was a joint project between FMI and the South Korean Andong National University, the internal structure of dust particles was studied for the first time. The dust particles were cut into thin strips using a focused ion beam, which were then analysed using transmission electron microscopy. The images revealed that the dust particles have a wide range of internal structures. Of particular note for the optical effects was the discovery that large empty cavities can appear inside of the particles.