Journal article
ARTEMIS observations of terrestrial ionospheric molecular ion outflow at the Moon
Geophysical research letters, Vol.43(13), pp.6749-6758
07/16/2016
DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069715
Abstract
The Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) spacecraft observes outflowing molecular ionospheric ions at lunar distances in the terrestrial magnetotail. The heavy ion fluxes are observed during geomagnetically disturbed times and consist of mainly molecular species (
N2+, NO+, and
O2+, approximately masses 28–32 amu) on the order of 105–106 cm−2 s−1 at nearly identical velocities as concurrently present protons. By performing backward particle tracing in time‐dependent electromagnetic fields from the magnetohydrodynamic Open Global Geospace Circulation Model of the terrestrial magnetosphere, we show that the ions escape the inner magnetosphere through magnetopause shadowing near noon and are subsequently accelerated to common velocities down the low‐latitude boundary layer to lunar distances. At the Moon, the observed molecular ion outflow can sputter significant fluxes of neutral species into the lunar exosphere while also delivering nitrogen and oxygen to the lunar volatile inventory.
Key Points
ARTEMIS observes approximately 28–32 amu ions flowing antisunward on dawn flank of terrestrial magnetotail
Molecular ions traced back in MHD fields originate from magnetopause shadowing near subsolar point
Molecular ion outflow can contribute significant amounts of N and O to the lunar volatile inventory
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- ARTEMIS observations of terrestrial ionospheric molecular ion outflow at the Moon
- Creators
- A. R Poppe - University of California, BerkeleyM. O Fillingim - University of California, BerkeleyJ. S Halekas - University of IowaJ Raeder - University of New HampshireV Angelopoulos - University of California, Los Angeles
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Geophysical research letters, Vol.43(13), pp.6749-6758
- DOI
- 10.1002/2016GL069715
- ISSN
- 0094-8276
- eISSN
- 1944-8007
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- NSF (AGS-1143895) German Center for Aviation and Space (DLR) (50 OC 0302) NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) (NNX14AG16A) NASA (NAS5-02099) German Ministry for Economy and Technology NASA LASER (NNX13AJ97G)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/16/2016
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199926302771
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