Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. P. Sawyer, J. S. Halekas, J. W. Bonnell, L. J. Chen, J. McFadden, K. H. Glassmeier, Y. Harada, A. Stanier
Summary: This study presents observational evidence of magnetized electrons and demagnetized ions near the lunar surface, suggesting the presence of prominent Hall electric fields near lunar crustal magnetic fields and the occurrence of magnetic reconnection between the solar wind interplanetary magnetic field and lunar crustal magnetic fields. Furthermore, the observations indicate the possibility of electron-only reconnection between the solar wind interplanetary magnetic field and lunar crustal magnetic fields.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. P. Sawyer, J. S. Halekas, J. W. Bonnell, L. J. Chen, J. Mcfadden, K. H. Glassmeier, Y. Harada, A. Stanier
Summary: This study presents observational evidence of magnetized electrons and demagnetized ions near the lunar surface, suggesting the presence of plasmas with a non-zero Hall electric field and potentially electron-only reconnection. The observations also indicate a change in the field line topology and the traversal of a closed magnetic field structure containing solar wind electrons, indicating magnetic reconnection between the solar wind interplanetary magnetic field and lunar crustal magnetic field. These findings support previous studies and suggest that electron-only reconnection may occur between the solar wind interplanetary magnetic field and lunar crustal magnetic fields.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Deborah Domingue, John Weirich, Frank Chuang, Amanda Sickafoose, Eric Palmer
Summary: This study presents evidence for a correlation between lunar swirls and topography, indicating that these features are not independent of elevation differences. The findings have implications for understanding dust mobility and the formation mechanisms of swirls on the Moon's surface.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
S. B. Rakesh Chandran, C. L. Veenas, L. R. Asitha, B. Parvathy, K. R. Rakhimol, A. Abraham, S. R. Rajesh, A. P. Sunitha, G. Renuka
Summary: In this study, the electrostatic potential of the lunar surface with respect to the ambient plasma was predicted using data from the Lunar Prospector Electron Reflectometer. The analysis revealed that the potential on the dayside is 5 V, while it can reach up to -82 V on the nightside, showing a strong dependence on electron temperature. A transition region with almost zero potential was identified, making it suitable for exploration activities.
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Charles F. Bowers, Gina A. DiBraccio, James A. Slavin, Jacob R. Gruesbeck, Tristan Weber, Shaosui Xu, Norberto Romanelli, Yuki Harada
Summary: This study investigates the influence of external conditions on magnetic reconnection at Mars by analyzing the crustal magnetic anomalies. By creating maps of the anomalies' strength and orientation and shear maps, we define a shear index to quantify the susceptibility of regions to undergo reconnection. The results suggest that southward IMF conditions favor widespread dayside magnetic reconnection at Mars.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hui Zhang, Jun Zhong, Tianxin Zhang, Libo Liu, Jinbin Cao, Suiyan Fu, Yong Wei, Yiding Chen
Summary: Through the examination of magnetic and plasma properties in the lunar wake, it was discovered that solar-wind ions undergo oscillations and modulations due to exchanges of momentum with refilling solar-wind plasma. This phenomenon is a result of the ions bypassing the Moon body and periodically penetrating into the wake flank.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Liam S. Morrissey, D. Pratt, W. M. Farrell, O. J. Tucker, S. Nakhla, R. M. Killen
Summary: Using molecular dynamics simulations, we have explored the movement of atomic hydrogen in amorphous silica and its implications for planetary science. Our simulations, which considered longer durations and broader temperature ranges, provided better agreement with experimental values compared to previous simulations. We found that hydrogen atoms undergo random intermittent jumps between oxygen atoms, with the number of jumps increasing with temperature. These findings highlight the importance of longer simulation durations for more accurate diffusion coefficient predictions. Furthermore, our results suggest that energetic solar wind impacts induce both immediate jumps and long-term damage, trapping atomic hydrogen in the exposed surface.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Paolo Mancinelli, Vittorio Scisciani, Cristina Pauselli, Gerard M. Stampfli, Fabio Speranza, Ivana Vasiljevic
Summary: The study suggests that the geological features of the Central Adriatic Sea and surrounding areas are related to the Early Permian back-arc Adria continental breakup, and underplating during the Palaeotethys-Adria collision controlled topography and palaeogeographic domains. It is proposed that the Palaeotethys-Adria boundary in the Early Permian was similar to the current Pacific-Okhotsk plate boundary.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
R. P. Sawyer, J. S. Halekas
Summary: Interactions between solar wind plasma and lunar crustal magnetic fields generate electrostatic and electromagnetic waves and heat electrons. Analysis of the data reveals that electrostatic waves play an important role in perpendicular electron heating as reflected ion density increases, while electromagnetic interactions show the opposite trend. Additionally, electrostatic waves associated with parallel heating exhibit plasma characteristics consistent with two different electron instabilities.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Noah Jaeggi, Andre Galli, Peter Wurz, Herbert Biber, Paul Stefan Szabo, Johannes Broetzner, Friedrich Aumayr, Peter Michael Edward Tollan, Klaus Mezger
Summary: This study presents methods for ion irradiation experiments on mineral powder pellets for rocky planetary bodies. The experiments showed changes in thermal IR reflectance properties of the pellets after irradiation, with surface abrasion found to remove the sputter effect. Additionally, experiments in a quartz crystal microbalance catcher setup demonstrated the study of irradiation induced sputtering and surface alteration under laboratory conditions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chuanjiao Zhou, Hong Tang, Xiongyao Li, Xiaojia Zeng, Bing Mo, Wen Yu, Yanxue Wu, Xiandi Zeng, Jianzhong Liu, Yuanyun Wen
Summary: This study reveals that lunar surficial water is mainly derived from solar wind implantation on olivine, plagioclase, and pyroxene grains. The water content is influenced by exposure time, crystal structure, and mineral composition. The research suggests that minerals in lunar soils serve as important water reservoirs, and water formation and retention occur on airless bodies.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hui Zhang, Yong Wei, Jun Zhong, Tianxin Zhang, Libo Liu, Binbin Ni, Jinbin Cao, Song Fu, Yiding Chen, Suiyan Fu, Weixing Wan
Summary: The solar wind interaction with small-scale lunar magnetic anomalies is complex and involves the behavior of electrons and protons differently. The low-frequency whistlers observed near the Moon are likely excited by the deviation of incident electrons, while the reflected protons are specularly reflected by vertical electric fields. The presence of low-altitude shocks cannot be ruled out completely in this interaction scenario.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
L. Adhikari, G. P. Zank, L-L Zhao, D. Telloni, T. S. Horbury, H. O'Brien, V Evans, V Angelini, C. J. Owen, P. Louarn, A. Fedorov
Summary: The study examines the evolution of anisotropic turbulence in the solar wind utilizing SolO measurements and the NI MHD turbulence model, finding that the ratio of energy components and fluctuations increase with the angle between the solar wind speed and magnetic field before decreasing again. Additionally, it is observed that solar wind turbulence is a combination of dominant 2D components and minority slab components as a function of heliocentric distance, with theoretical and observed results showing excellent agreement.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuchen Xu, Heng-Ci Tian, Chi Zhang, Marc Chaussidon, Yangting Lin, Jialong Hao, Ruiying Li, Lixin Gu, Wei Yang, Liying Huang, Jun Du, Yazhou Yang, Yang Liu, Huaiyu He, Yongliao Zou, Xianhua Li, Fuyuan Wu
Summary: Remote sensing data and analysis of lunar soil grains brought back by the Chang'e-5 mission show that the presence of water on the Moon is latitude-dependent and has time-of-day variation. The study suggests that solar wind-originated water can be preserved beneath the lunar surface, and the distribution of hydrogen in the soil grains is influenced by temperature. The findings provide important insights into the dynamics of water on the Moon.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
John A. Tarduno, Rory D. Cottrell, Kristin Lawrence, Richard K. Bono, Wentao Huang, Catherine L. Johnson, Eric G. Blackman, Aleksey Smirnov, Miki Nakajima, Clive R. Neal, Tinghong Zhou, Mauricio Ibanez-Mejia, Hirokuni Oda, Ben Crummins
Summary: Research indicates that the Moon did not possess a long-lived core dynamo, and was therefore not sheltered by a sustained paleomagnetosphere. This implies that the lunar regolith may contain buried He-3, water, and other volatile resources acquired from solar winds and Earth's magnetosphere over the past 4 billion years.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Z. Girazian, J. Halekas, R. J. Lillis
Summary: Using MAVEN observations, we studied the variations in the structure and composition of the nightside ionosphere on Mars on solar cycle and seasonal timescales. Plasma densities vary significantly at fixed altitudes due to variations in thermospheric pressure levels. The electron impact ionization (EII) rate, influenced by solar cycle and seasonal trends, also affects the nightside densities. High-altitude nightside ionosphere densities vary significantly over the solar cycle, with topside O+ and O+2 densities changing by factors of -50 and -40, respectively. Topside ion densities remained relatively stable during the solar minimum of 2018-2019.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chen Shi, Marco Velli, Roberto Lionello, Nikos Sioulas, Zesen Huang, Jasper S. Halekas, Anna Tenerani, Victor Reville, Jean-Baptiste Dakeyo, Milan Maksimovic, Stuart D. Bale
Summary: The heating and acceleration of the solar wind is a challenging problem in heliophysics. Observations show that the proton temperature is highly correlated with the solar wind speed, while the electron temperature shows a negative correlation. By analyzing data from the Parker Solar Probe and WIND, researchers found that the proton temperature is positively correlated with the wind speed and the electron temperature is negatively correlated. A solar wind model suggests that the dissipated energy from Alfven waves plays a role in the temperature evolution of protons and electrons.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Fabio Florindo, Valerio Acocella, Ann Marie Carlton, Paolo D'Odorico, Qingyun Duan, Andrew Gettelman, Jasper Halekas, Ruth Harris, Gesine Mollenhauer, Alan Robock, Claudine Stirling, Yusuke Yokoyama
Summary: Reviews of Geophysics is an AGU journal that publishes comprehensive review articles across various disciplines within the Earth and Space Sciences. It is a highly ranked journal in the fields of Geochemistry and Geophysics, with a high Journal Impact Factor (JIF). The journal's review papers provide crucial context for current work, establishing a framework for comprehensive understanding of research progress and interconnections between different communities.
REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
L. Ram, D. Rout, R. Rathi, S. Mondal, S. Sarkhel, J. Halekas
Summary: Measurements from MAVEN spacecraft are used to investigate the impact of CMEs and CIRs on Martian ionospheric species. 15 CMEs and 15 CIRs events from 2015 to 2020 are analyzed, and significant differences in ionospheric species profiles are observed during these events. The study suggests that CIRs have a more prominent impact on the Martian ionospheric species than CMEs during the declining phase of solar cycle 24.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Brandon L. Burkholder, Li-Jen Chen, Norberto Romanelli, Dave Sibeck, Jaye Verniero, Gina A. DiBraccio, Daniel Gershman, Menelaos Sarantos
Summary: This study investigates the variations of quasi-radial interplanetary magnetic fields (IMFs) close to stars. Deviations from the quasi-radial IMF can result in turbulent foreshock phenomena in planetary magnetospheres. Statistical analysis reveals a negative correlation between the occurrence rate of radial IMFs and solar activity near Earth's orbit.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Daniele Telloni, Marco Romoli, Marco Velli, Gary P. Zank, Laxman Adhikari, Lingling Zhao, Cooper Downs, Jasper S. Halekas, Jaye L. Verniero, Michael D. Mcmanus, Chen Shi, Aleksandr Burtovoi, Roberto Susino, Daniele Spadaro, Alessandro Liberatore, Ester Antonucci, Yara De Leo, Lucia Abbo, Federica Frassati, Giovanna Jerse, Federico Landini, Gianalfredo Nicolini, Maurizio Pancrazzi, Giuliana Russano, Clementina Sasso, Vincenzo Andretta, Vania Da Deppo, Silvano Fineschi, Catia Grimani, Petr Heinzel, John D. Moses, Giampiero Naletto, Marco Stangalini, Luca Teriaca, Michela Uslenghi, Stuart D. Bale, Justin C. Kasper
Summary: This paper presents the first direct investigation of the energy budget in the solar corona. Using joint observations from Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter's Metis coronagraph, the authors estimate the values of different factors contributing to the energy flux of the proton component of the slow solar wind. The results reveal that magnetic fluctuations, including Alfven waves, are the primary source of solar wind energy near the Sun, while kinetic energy dominates at higher altitudes.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
R. Bandyopadhyay, C. M. Meyer, W. H. Matthaeus, D. J. McComas, S. R. Cranmer, J. S. Halekas, J. Huang, D. E. Larson, R. Livi, A. Rahmati, P. L. Whittlesey, M. L. Stevens, J. C. Kasper, S. D. Bale
Summary: This study focuses on the heating mechanism of protons and electrons in space plasma physics, with differential heating playing a key role in solar wind evolution. Using data from Parker Solar Probe, the researchers found significant differences in heating behavior between protons and electrons compared to previous reports, with proton heating becoming more dominant at decreasing distances from the Sun.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Long Cheng, Robert Lillis, Yuming Wang, Anna Mittelholz, Shaosui Xu, David L. L. Mitchell, Catherine Johnson, Zhenpeng Su, Jasper S. S. Halekas, Benoit Langlais, Tielong Zhang, Guoqiang Wang, Sudong Xiao, Zhuxuan Zou, Zhiyong Wu, Yutian Chi, Zonghao Pan, Kai Liu, Xinjun Hao, Yiren Li, Manming Chen, Jared Espley, Frank Eparvier
Summary: This study presents direct evidence of solar wind effects on the Martian bow shock based on the analysis of Tianwen-1 and MAVEN data. The results show that the bow shock is rapidly compressed and expanded during the dynamic pressure pulse in the solar wind and oscillated during the IMF rotation. The superposition of variations in multiple solar wind parameters leads to more intensive bow shock oscillation. This study emphasizes the importance of joint observations by Tianwen-1 and MAVEN for studying the real-time response of the Martian magnetosphere to the solar wind.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Shaosui Xu, Andrew R. Poppe, Paul S. Szabo, Yuki Harada, Jasper S. Halekas, Phillip C. Chamberlin
Summary: Lunar surface charging is a significant research topic, and the observation of oxygen Auger electrons provides insights into the backscattering coefficient and its dependence on the magnetic dip angle.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
D. Bhattacharyya, J. T. Clarke, M. Mayyasi, V. Shematovich, D. Bisikalo, J. Y. Chaufray, E. Thiemann, J. Halekas, C. Schmidt, J. L. Bertaux, M. S. Chaffin, N. M. Schneider
Summary: The recent discovery of higher escape rates of hydrogen atoms near Mars' perihelion suggests substantial water loss from Mars, surpassing previous theories. This study provides the first confirmed observation of energetic hydrogen atoms in Mars' atmosphere, which are believed to be produced by interaction with solar wind through charge exchange.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Xiaohua Fang, Yingjuan Ma, Janet Luhmann, Yaxue Dong, Jasper Halekas, Shannon Curry
Summary: This study investigates the global distribution and variability of the external magnetic field at Mars, examining its relationship with the solar wind dynamic pressure, interplanetary magnetic field, and ambient crustal magnetic field strength. Using measurements from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission and magnetohydrodynamic simulations, the researchers find that the external magnetic field is significantly enhanced from the upstream across the bow shock and intensifies closer to the planet in the topside ionosphere. The external field exhibits a strong day-night asymmetry and may be enhanced under high solar wind dynamic pressures and interplanetary magnetic fields.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jacob Fruchtman, Jasper Halekas, Jacob Gruesbeck, David Mitchell, Christian Mazelle
Summary: The Martian bow shock exhibits foot, ramp, and overshoot substructures, which are not affected by the seasonal variability of the Sun-Mars system. The properties of the solar wind, rather than Mars' location in its orbit, primarily control the structure of the bow shock.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Andrea C. G. Hughes, Michael Chaffin, Edwin Mierkiewicz, Justin Deighan, Rebecca D. Jolitz, Esa Kallio, Guillaume Gronoff, Valery Shematovich, Dmitry Bisikalo, Jasper Halekas, Cyril Simon Wedlund, Nicholas Schneider, Birgit Ritter, Zachary Girazian, Sonal Jain, Jean-Claude Gerard, Bradley Hegyi
Summary: Proton aurora at Mars, which are commonly observed but least studied, are investigated through a multi-model comparison campaign in this study. Four different proton/hydrogen precipitation models are compared, and their capabilities and limitations are assessed by modeling representative cases. The study finds that the incident solar wind particle flux and velocity are the primary variables affecting proton aurora. The robustness and effectiveness of each model in reproducing proton aurora observations are evaluated, and it is concluded that the appropriate physical processes and parameters have been identified.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Masahisa Kato, Yuki Harada, Shaosui Xu, Andrew R. Poppe, Jasper S. Halekas, Yohei Miyake, Hideyuki Usui, Masaki N. Nishino, Toru Matsumoto
Summary: Due to the lack of a dense atmosphere, the Moon interacts directly with ambient plasmas and solar radiation, causing surface charging. This study developed a numerical model to analyze the energy spectrum of lunar photoelectrons and Auger electrons. The comparison between the model and observations suggests that the emitted electrons can be used to remotely infer the lunar surface potential.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Prabal Saxena, Liam S. Morrissey, Rosemary M. Killen, Jason L. Mclain, Li Hsia Yeo, Natalie M. Curran, Nithin S. Abraham, Heather V. Graham, Orenthal J. Tucker, Menelaos Sarantos, Aaron B. Regberg, Diane E. Pugel, Andrew W. Needham, Mark Hasegawa, Alfred J. Wong
Summary: This article discusses the potential value of using sustainable substrate witness plates in future lunar and planetary explorations. These plates can provide key location-sensitive, time-integrated measurements of important processes on planetary surfaces, aiding scientific understanding and operational goals in space exploration.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2023)
