edu.ucar.opensky::articles:16807 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-26T03:09:13.889608 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7z039b5 Properties of the lunar wake predicted by analytic models and hybrid-kinetic simulations 2015-05-01T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7z039b5 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020907 Gharaee, H. author Rankin, R. author Marchand, R. author Paral, Jan author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher An approximate model derived by Hutchinson (2008a), describing the interaction between the solar wind and the Moon, is applied to describe plasma in the lunar wake. The model accounts for plasma entering the wake region from two tangent points around the Moon. Cylindrical geometry is assumed, along with a strong constant magnetic field, and fixed transverse velocity and temperature. Under these approximations two angle-dependent equations for fluid flow are obtained, which can be solved using the method of characteristics to provide the density inside the wake region. It is demonstrated that the model valid under these assumptions provides excellent agreement with observations from the ARTEMIS mission and with large-scale hybrid-kinetic plasma simulations. The model provides a practical alternative to kinetic simulations and is generally useful for determining properties of the lunar wake under different solar wind conditions. It will be useful as well for predicting properties of the plasma environment around unmagnetized bodies that have not yet been visited by spacecraft. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright 2015 American Geophysical Union. None eng geoscientificInformation