Seminar: CPS Seminar
date: 2016 July 19 (Tue) 16:30-
room: CPS Conference Room

speaker: Hideyuki Usui (Professor,Kobe University)
title: Plasma particle simulations on the solar wind response to a lunar magnetic anomaly
abstract: We present some results on the interactions between the solar wind and the crustal magnetic anomaly on the lunar surface obtained by the particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. Based on the satellite observation, it is suggested that a mini-magnetosphere is formed by the interaction with the solar wind plasma above the lunar magnetic anomaly. KAGUYA observed the reflection of the solar wind ions as well as the electron heating over the magnetic anomalies. To understand the mechanism of theses solar wind responses, we examined the formation of a mini-magnetosphere and the plasma dynamics in the boundary region particularly electron behavior by performing the three-dimensional PIC simulations. In this talk, we will present some of the simulation results as well as the basic method of the plasma particle simulation.
keywords: lunar magnetic anomaly, plasma particle simulation, mini-magnetosphere, electron dynamics

speaker: Yohei Miyake (Associate Professor,Kobe University)
title: Full particle simulations on plasma and dust environment near lunar vertical holes
abstract: The Moon has nether dense atmosphere nor intrinsic magnetic field, and its surface directly interacts with solar wind plasma and near-surface photoelectrons. One of important consequences of such interactions is the charging of its surface. Because a lunar surface provides boundaries for plasma particles, the potential structure strongly depends on surface topography of the Moon. As one example of interesting landscapes, we have numerically modeled the electrostatic environment around “lunar vertical holes”, recently discovered by the Kaguya satellite and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. We present particle-in-cell simulation results on surface charging and plasma dynamics near the hole, and show that such a hole produces electrically unique environment. We also discuss the effects of the environment on the dynamics of the charged dust grains.
keywords: lunar surface charging, lunar vertical hole, plasma particle simulation, plasma dynamics, charged dust dynamics
organizer: Yoshiyuki Takahashi