What mechanism is responsible for the natural clearance of smaller pieces of debris within Low Earth Orbit?
Answer
Faint remnants of Earth's atmosphere exerting drag
The primary natural mechanism leading to the eventual clearance of smaller debris fragments residing in Low Earth Orbit is atmospheric drag. Although the atmosphere is extremely tenuous at altitudes like 400 kilometers, the continuous, minute friction exerted by atmospheric remnants slows the orbiting objects down. This reduction in velocity causes the object's orbit to decay, spiraling inward until it eventually re-enters the denser atmosphere where it burns up. The effectiveness of this drag mechanism is highly dependent on the object's initial altitude.
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