Modeling the Lunar Wake Response to a CME Using a Hybrid PIC Model

Abstract

In the solar wind, a low-density wake region forms downstream of the nightside lunar surface. In this study, we use a series of 3D hybrid particle-in-cell simulations to model the response of the lunar wake to a passing coronal mass ejection (CME). Average plasma parameters are derived from the Wind spacecraft located at 1 au during three distinct phases of a passing halo (Earth-directed) CME on 2015 June 22. Each set of plasma parameters, representing the shock/plasma sheath, a magnetic cloud, and plasma conditions we call the mid-CME phase, are used as the time-static upstream boundary conditions for three separate simulations. These simulation results are then compared with results that use nominal solar wind conditions. Results show a shortened plasma void compared to nominal conditions and a distinctive rarefaction cone originating from the terminator during the CME’s plasma sheath phase, while a highly elongated plasma void reforms during the magnetic cloud and mid-CME phases. Developments of electric and magnetic field intensification are also observed during the plasma sheath phase along the central wake, while electrostatic turbulence dominates along the plasma void boundaries and 2–3 lunar radii R M downstream in the central wake during the magnetic cloud and mid-CME phases. The simulations demonstrate that the lunar wake responds in a dynamic way with the changes in the upstream solar wind during a CME.

Unveiling the 3D Structure of Magnetosheath Jets

“…Amitis has been extensively applied to study plasma interactions with various planetary bodies including the Moon, Mercury, Ganymede, Mars, Comets, and several asteroids (e.g., Fatemi et al, 2017;Fuqua-Haviland et al, 2019;Fatemi et al, 2020;Aizawa et al, 2021;Poppe et al, 2021;Rasca et al, 2022;Fatemi et al, 2022;Shi et al, 2022;X.-D. Wang et al, 2023;Poppe & Fatemi, 2023;Gunell et al, 2024). In addition, its results have been successfully validated through comparison with spacecraft observations (e.g., Fatemi et al, 2017Fatemi et al, , 2020Aizawa et al, 2021;Rasca et al, 2022;Fatemi et al, 2022;X.-D. Wang et al, 2023), theories (Fuqua-Haviland et al, 2019), and other kinetic and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models (Fatemi et al, 2017;Aizawa et al, 2021).…”

Unveiling the 3D Structure of Magnetosheath Jets

“…Amitis has been extensively applied to study plasma interactions with various planetary bodies including the Moon, Mercury, Ganymede, Mars, and several asteroids (e.g., Fatemi et al, 2017;Fuqua-Haviland et al, 2019;Fatemi et al, 2020;Aizawa et al, 2021;Poppe et al, 2021;Rasca et al, 2022;Fatemi et al, 2022;Shi et al, 2022;X.-D. Wang et al, 2023;Poppe & Fatemi, 2023). In addition, its results have been successfully validated through comparison with spacecraft observations (e.g., Fatemi et al, 2017Fatemi et al, , 2020Aizawa et al, 2021;Rasca et al, 2022;Fatemi et al, 2022;X.-D. Wang et al, 2023), theories (Fuqua-Haviland et al, 2019), and other kinetic and Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models (Fatemi et al, 2017;Aizawa et al, 2021).…”