Mini-magnetospheres and Moon-magnetosphere interactions: Overview Moon-magnetosphere Interactions

Abstract

Moon-magnetosphere interaction" stands for the interaction of magnetospheric plasma with an orbiting moon. Observations and modeling of moon-magnetosphere interaction is a highly interesting area of space physics because it helps to better understand the basic physics of plasma flows in the universe and it provides geophysical information about the interior of the moons. Moon-magnetosphere interaction is caused by the flow of magnetospheric plasma relative to the orbital motions of the moons. The relative velocity is usually slower than the Alfvén velocity of the plasma around the moons. Thus the interaction generally forms Alfvén wings instead of bow shocks in front of the moons. The local interaction, i.e., the interaction within several moon radii, is controlled by properties of the atmospheres, ionospheres, surfaces, nearby dust-populations, the interiors of the moons as well as the properties of the magnetospheric plasma around the moons. The far-field interaction, i.e., the interaction further away than a few moon radii, is dominated by the magnetospheric plasma and the fields, but it still carries information about the properties of the moons. In this chapter we review the basic physics of moon-magnetosphere interaction. We also give a short tour through the solar system highlighting the important findings at the major moons.