Interaction of the moon with the earth's magnetosphere

Abstract

The general characteristics and dimensions of the earth's magnetosphere, turbulent transition region, and shock wave are reviewed and examined with regard to their possible active or passive interaction with the moon. The moon may, in turn, have a wake either detectable by space experiments outside the terrestrial shock wave or capable of interacting with the earth's shock wave, wake, or magnetospheric tail. The length and detectability of such a lunar wake depend, among other factors, on the selenomagnetic field and flow characteristics of the solar wind. Direct experimental information on a lunar wake is scanty, being, in fact, limited to one supposed case recorded by the IMP-1 satellite. Some evidence has been claimed, on the other hand, for statistical relationships between geomagnetic disturbance observed at the surface and the age of the moon. These results, however, are partly conflicting with each other as regards the phase of the supposed monthly variations, and partly are lacking statistical significance or merely grazing the significance level. The proximity of the lunar period with the length of the solar rotation, as well as a yearly and half-yearly modulation of the quasi-persistent 27-day fluctuations of geomagnetic disturbance contribute to encumber the question, rendering it very difficult, with the records presently available, to free the supposed lunar effects from solar interference. It seems, therefore, recommendable to postpone a judgement on the reality of such effects.