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The paper presents results of laboratory experiment modeling the interaction between Lunar magnetic anomalies and Solar wind. To model the LMA we use quadrupole magnetic field. The main dimentionless parameter of the problem, the ion inertia length relative to the mini-magnetosphere size, well corresponds between experiment and LMA conditions. The main result is measurement of the magnetically reflected proton fluxes, which show qualitative agreement to available satellite data.

In previous experiments by the authors on a magnetic dipole interacting with a laser-produced plasma the generation of an intense field-aligned current (FAC) system on terrella poles was observed. In this paper the question of the origin of these currents in a low-latitude boundary layer of magnetosphere is investigated. Experimental evidence of such a link was obtained by measurements of the magnetic field generated by tangential drag and sheared stress. This specific azimuthal field was found to have quadruple symmetry and local maxima inside the magnetosphere adjacent to the boundary layer. Cases of metallic and dielectric dipole covers modeling good conductive and non-conductive ionosphere revealed that the presence or absence of FACs results in different amplitudes and spatial structures of the sheared field. The current associated with the azimuthal field flows upward at the dawnside, and toward the equator plane at the duskside. It was found to coincide by direction and to correspond by amplitude to a total cross-polar current measured independently. The results suggest that compressional and Alfven waves are responsible for FAC generation. The study is most relevant to FACgeneration in the magnetospheres of Earth and Mercury following pressure jumps in solar wind.

In an experiment on a magnetic dipole interacting with a laser-produced plasma the generation of an intense field aligned current (FAC) system was observed for the first time in a laboratory. The detailed measurements of the total value and local current density, of the magnetic field at the poles and in the equatorial magnetopause, and particular features of electron motion in the current channels revealed its similarity to the Region-1 current system in the Earth magnetosphere. Such currents were found to exist only if they can close via conductive cover of the dipole. Comparison of conductive and dielectric cases revealed specific magnetic features produced by FACand their connection with electric potential generated in the equatorial part of the magnetopause. To interpret the data we consider a model of electric potential generation in the boundary layer which agrees with experiment and with measurements of the Earth transpolar potential in the absence of an interplanetary magnetic field as well. The results could be of importance for the investigation of Mercury as a magnetic disturbance due to FAC could be especially large because of the small size of the Hermean magnetosphere.

Magnetosphere at ion kinetic scales, or mini-magnetosphere, possesses unusual features as predicted by numerical simulations. However, there are practically no data on the subject from space observations and the data which are available are far too incomplete. In the present work we describe results of laboratory experiment on interaction of plasma flow with magnetic dipole with parameters such that ion inertia length is smaller than a size of observed magnetosphere. A detailed structure of non-coplanar or out-of-plane component of magnetic field has been obtained in meridian plane. Independence of this component on dipole moment reversal, as was reported in previous work, has been verified. In the tail distinct lobes and central current sheet have been observed. It was found that lobe regions adjacent to boundary layer are dominated by non-coplanar component of magnetic field. Tail-ward oriented electric current in plasma associated with that component appears to be equal to ion current in the frontal part of magnetosphere and in the tail current sheet implying that electrons are stationary in those regions while ions flow by. Obtained data strongly support the proposed model of mini-magnetosphere based on two-fluid effects as described by the Hall term.

A magnetosphere comparable in size to ion inertial length, known as a mini-magnetosphere, possesses unusual features which have been predicted by numerical simulations and shown in recent experiments. In the present paper we study a pronounced difference between the west and east flanks of a mini-magnetosphere observed for the first time in pioneering terrella experiments of 60 s duration. It manifests itself in plasma penetration deep inside the west flank and the formation of a return current that effects the magnetic structure, in contrast to the east flank which has a well-defined boundary layer and plasma cavity. We propose that the plasma penetration and the return current can be understood in the framework of a test-particle model. This model serves to illustrate in simple terms the Hall physics which was found to be behind similar features at the frontal part and the tail of the mini-magnetosphere observed in our previous experiments. Because of the large gyroradius, ions tend to be deflected by the dipole field at the east flank and drawn into the west flank. To verify that the return electric current in the magnetospheric plasma is carried by ions, we measured it directly using a Rogovski coil and compared it with the ion flux measured by Langmuir probe.

Transient interaction of magnetic dipole with plasma flow carrying southward magnetic field is studied in laboratory experiment. The flow with transverse frozen-in field is generated by means of laser-produced plasma cross-field expansion into background plasma which fills vacuum chamber along externally applied magnetic field prior to interaction. Probe measurements showed that at realized plasma parameters effective collisionless Larmor coupling takes place resulting in formation of strong compressive perturbation which propagates in background with super-Alfvenic velocity and generates in laboratory frame transverse electric field comparable in value to expected induction one. Compression pulse with southward field after short propagation interacts with dipole and creates well defined magnetosphere. Comparison of magnetospheres created by laser-produced plasma expanding in vacuum field and in magnetized background revealed fundamental differences in structure and behavior of electric potential in plasma. In presence of frozen-in southward field direct {\guillemotleft}sub-solar{\guillemotright} penetration of outside electric potential deep inside of magnetosphere was observed taking place with velocity close to upstream Alfven speed.

Transient interaction of counter-streaming super-sonic plasma flows in dipole magnetic dipole is studied in laboratory experiment. First quasi-stationary flow is produced by teta-pinch and forms a magnetosphere around the magnetic dipole while laser beams focused at the surface of the dipole cover launch second explosive plasma expanding from inner dipole region outward. Laser plasma is energetic enough to disrupt magnetic field and to sweep through the background plasma for large distances. Probe measurements showed that far from the initially formed magnetosphere laser plasma carries within itself a magnetic field of the same direction but order of magnitude larger in value than the vacuum dipole field at considered distances. Because no compression of magnetic field at the front of laser plasma was observed, the realized interaction is different from previous experiments and theoretical models of laser plasma expansion into uniform magnetized background. It was deduced based on the obtained data that laser plasma while expanding through inner magnetosphere picks up a magnetized shell formed by background plasma and carries it for large distances beyond previously existing magnetosphere.

The interaction of escaping upper atmosphere of a hydrogen rich non-magnetized analog of HD209458b with a stellar wind of its host G-type star at different orbital distances is simulated with a 2D axisymmetric multi-fluid hydrodynamic model. A realistic sun-like spectrum of XUV radiation which ionizes and heats the planetary atmosphere, hydrogen photo-chemistry, as well as stellar-planetary tidal interaction are taken into account to generate self-consistently an atmospheric hydrodynamic outflow. Two different regimes of the planetary and stellar winds interaction have been modelled. These are: 1) the "captured by the star" regime, when the tidal force and pressure gradient drive the planetary material beyond the Roche lobe towards the star, and 2) the "blown by the wind" regime, when sufficiently strong stellar wind confines the escaping planetary atmosphere and channels it into the tail. The model simulates in details the hydrodynamic interaction between the planetary atoms, protons and the stellar wind, as well as the production of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) around the planet due to charge-exchange between planetary atoms and stellar protons. The revealed location and shape of the ENA cloud either as a paraboloid shell between ionopause and bowshock (for the "blown by the wind" regime), or a turbulent layer at the contact boundary between the planetary stream and stellar wind (for the "captured by the star" regime) are of importance for the interpretation of Ly{\alpha} absorption features in exoplanetary transit spectra and characterization of the plasma environments., Comment: Published on ApJ

A problem of magnetosphere formation on ion inertia scale around weakly magnetized bodies is investigated by means of laboratory experiment, analytical analysis and 2.5D Hall MHD simulation. Experimental evidence of specific magnetic field generated by the Hall term is presented. Direct comparison of regimes with small and large ion inertia length revealed striking differences in measured magnetopause position and plasma stand off distance. Analytical model is presented, which explains such basic features of mini-magnetosphere observed in previous kinetic simulations as disappearance of bow shock and plasma stopping at Stoermer particle limit instead of pressure balance distance. Numerical simulation is found to be in a good agreement with experiments and analytical model. It gives detailed spatial structure of Hall field and reveals that while ions penetrate deep inside mini-magnetosphere electrons overflow around it along magnetopause boundary., Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures