Clarify the accretion pathway from cosmic dust to larger bodies

Clarify the physical processes by which micron- and sub-micron-sized cosmic dust particles accrete into progressively larger objects in astrophysical environments, resolving the current incomplete understanding of this growth sequence.

Background

In discussing the origin of solid material in planetary systems, the authors note that growth from cosmic dust to larger bodies is fundamental yet remains insufficiently characterized.

They emphasize that while dust originates from various astrophysical sources (e.g., interstellar clouds, stellar explosions, red giants) and is transported by stellar winds into the interstellar medium, the detailed accretion processes leading from dust to macroscopic bodies are not fully understood.

References

The accretion of dust particles leading to progressively larger and larger objects is not completely understood.

— When Leaving the Solar System: Dark Matter Makes a Difference  (2201.06575 - Belbruno et al., 2022) in Section 4.2 Motion of Objects Outside the Solar System

We also find some Si--O molecular clusters, a fraction of which may eventually form [SiO$_2$]$_n$-type dust. We have not considered this dust component here because of the uncertainty in the efficiency with which these clusters condense into dust grains.

— On the Origin of a Dusty Circumstellar Medium around Red Supergiants  (2608.28344 - Sujit et al., 28 Aug 2026) in Section 6, The dusty CSM