Electron energization in lunar magnetospheres

Bingham, R. and Bamford, R. and Kellett, B. J. and Shapiro, V. D. (2010) Electron energization in lunar magnetospheres. Journal of Plasma Physics, 76 (6). pp. 915-918. ISSN 0022-3778 (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377810000462)

Full text not available in this repository.Request a copy

Abstract

The interaction of the solar wind with lunar surface magnetic fields produces a bow shock and a magnetosphere-like structure. In front of the shock wave energetic electrons up to keV energies are produced. This paper describes how resonant interactions between plasma turbulence in the form of lower-hybrid waves and electrons can result in field aligned electron acceleration. The turbulent wave fields close to the lower-hybrid resonant frequency are excited most probably by the modified two-stream instability, driven by the solar wind ions that are reflected and deflected by the low shock.