The Range of Electron Plasma Temperature and Density at Lunar Orbit

Brandon Burkholder; Li-Jen Chen; Jasper Halekas; David Sibeck; Katariina Nykyri; Michelangelo Romano; Menelaos Sarantos; Glyn Collinson; Daniel Gershman; Elizabeth Juelfs

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ae8f2f

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The Range of Electron Plasma Temperature and Density at Lunar Orbit

Journal article

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The Range of Electron Plasma Temperature and Density at Lunar Orbit

Brandon Burkholder, Li-Jen Chen, Jasper Halekas, David Sibeck, Katariina Nykyri, Michelangelo Romano, Menelaos Sarantos, Glyn Collinson, Daniel Gershman and Elizabeth Juelfs

The Astrophysical journal, Vol.1007(2), 143

08/20/2026

DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae8f2f

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Abstract

The dayside lunar photoelectron sheath generates near-surface electrostatic fields that reflect a fraction of solar wind electrons and accelerate low-energy electrons. As the Moon passes from the solar wind through the magnetosheath and into the magnetotail plasma sheet, electron temperature (Te) and density (ne) can vary by more than 2 orders of magnitude, which leads to large variations of the lunar photoelectron sheath. In order to prepare for a human presence at lunar orbit, this paper quantifies the extremes of Te and ne observed by Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) extending over an entire solar cycle. A statistical analysis of ARTEMIS P1 data shows that in solar wind, Te is in the range 1.6–76 eV and ne is in the range 0.06–103 cm−3. In the magnetotail (including magnetosheath, lobe, and plasma sheet), Te is in the range 6–1800 eV and ne is in the range 0.03–20 cm−3 (0.03 cm−3 is the instrument threshold, so the lowest density is likely smaller than this). These values were sustained for 1 minute such that the entire moon was immersed in plasma with a particular Te or ne. The solar wind Te and ne do not have a strong correlation with the solar cycle, but in the magnetotail near midnight, the range of Te and ne is significantly larger at solar minimum compared to solar maximum.

Density

Electric fields

Electrodynamics

Electron energy

Electron plasma

Lunar orbits

Magnetosheath

Magnetotail plasma

Magnetotails

Moon

Photoelectrons

Plasma

Plasma temperature

Sheaths

Solar cycle

Solar maximum

Solar minimum

Solar wind

Solar wind electrons

Statistical analysis

Details

Title: Subtitle: The Range of Electron Plasma Temperature and Density at Lunar Orbit
Creators: Brandon Burkholder - Goddard Space Flight Center
Li-Jen Chen - Goddard Space Flight Center
Jasper Halekas - University of Iowa
David Sibeck - Goddard Space Flight Center
Katariina Nykyri - Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
Michelangelo Romano - Goddard Space Flight Center
Menelaos Sarantos - Goddard Space Flight Center
Glyn Collinson - Goddard Space Flight Center
Daniel Gershman - Goddard Space Flight Center
Elizabeth Juelfs - Goddard Space Flight Center
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Astrophysical journal, Vol.1007(2), 143
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae8f2f
ISSN: 0004-637X
eISSN: 1538-4357
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Grant note: Partnership for Heliospheric and Space Environment Research: N/A
This work is funded by the Partnership for Heliospheric and Space Environment Research (PHaSER). Thanks to Vassilis Angelopoulos for confirming correct use of the ESA data. We acknowledge the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use of the Space Weather Database Of Notifications, Knowledge, Information (DONKI) system (https://kauai.ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/DONKI/) to support the identification of ICMEs using the M2M_CATALOG populated by the Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office (M2M SWAO).
Language: English
Date published: 08/20/2026
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9985218380502771

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