Full-Particle Simulations on Electrostatic Plasma Environment near Lunar Vertical Holes

Abstract:

The Kaguya satellite and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have observed a number of vertical holes on the terrestrial Moon [Haruyama et al., GRL, 2009; Robinson et al., PSS, 2012], which have spatial scales of tens of meters and are possible lava tube skylights. The hole structure has recently received particular attention, because the structure gives an important clue to the complex volcanic history of the Moon. The holes also have high potential as locations for constructing future lunar bases, because of fewer extra-lunar rays/particles and micrometeorites reaching the hole bottoms. In this sense, these holes are not only interesting in selenology, but are also significant from the viewpoint of electrostatic environments. The subject can also be an interesting resource of research in comparative planetary science, because hole structures have been found in other solar system bodies such as the Mars.

The lunar dayside electrostatic environment is governed by electrodynamic interactions among the solar wind plasma, photoelectrons, and the charged lunar surface, providing topologically complex boundaries to the plasma. We use the three-dimensional, massively-parallelized, particle-in-cell simulation code EMSES [Miyake and Usui, POP, 2009] to simulate the near-hole plasma environment on the Moon [Miyake and Nishino, Icarus, 2015]. We took into account the solar wind plasma downflow, photoelectron emission from the sunlit part of the lunar surface, and plasma charge deposition on the surface. The simulation domain consists of 400×400×2000 grid points and contains about 25 billion plasma macro-particles. Thus, we need to use supercomputers for the simulations.

The vertical wall of the hole introduces a new boundary for both photo and solar wind electrons. The current balance condition established at a hole bottom is altered by the limited solar wind electron penetration into the hole and complex photoelectron current paths inside the hole. The self-consistent modeling not only reproduces intense differential charging between sunlit and shadowed surfaces, but also reveals the potential difference between sunlit surfaces inside and outside the hole. The results demonstrate the uniqueness of the near-hole plasma environment as well as provide useful knowledge for future landing missions.