Effects of Na⁺ and He⁺ pickup ions on the lunar-like plasma environment: 3D hybrid modeling
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Date
2012-07-20
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Citation of Original Publication
Lipatov, A. S., J. F. Cooper, E. C. Sittler Jr., and R. E. Hartle. “Effects of Na⁺ and He⁺ Pickup Ions on the Lunar-like Plasma Environment: 3D Hybrid Modeling.” Advances in Space Research, Lunar Exploration - I, 50, no. 12 (December 15, 2012): 1583–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2012.07.009.
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This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
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Public Domain Mark 1.0
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Abstract
In this report we discuss the self-consistent dynamics of pickup ions in the solar wind flow around the lunar-like object. In our model the solar wind and pickup ions are considered as a particles, whereas the electrons are described as a fluid. Inhomogeneous photoionization, electron-impact ionization and charge exchange are included in our model. The Moon will be chosen as a basic object for our modeling. The current modeling shows that mass loading by pickup ions Na⁺ and He⁺ may be very important in the global dynamics of the solar wind around the Moon. In our hybrid modeling we use exponential profiles for the exospheric components. The Moon is considered as a weakly conducting body. Special attention will be paid to comparing the modeling pickup ion velocity distribution with ARTEMIS observations. Our modeling shows an asymmetry of the Mach cone due to mass loading, the upstream flow density distribution and the magnetic field. The pickup ions form an asymmetrical plasma tails that may disturb the lunar plasma wake.