Could the Full Moon Excite a Low-Frequency Perturbation on the Earth's Magnetic Field?

Could the Full Moon Excite a Low-Frequency Perturbation on the Earth's Magnetic Field? | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 29 October 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Could the Full Moon Excite a Low-Frequency Perturbation on the Earth's Magnetic Field? Authors : Katariina Nykyri 0000-0002-6905-9487 [email protected] , Simone Di Matteo 0000-0001-6407-7574 , Martin Owain Archer 0000-0003-1556-4573 , Xuanye Ma 0000-0003-3942-1649 , Michael D. Hartinger 0000-0002-2643-2202 , Menelaos Sarantos 0000-0003-0728-2971 , Eftyhia Zesta 0000-0002-1899-5275 , and William Paterson 0000-0001-9695-8149 Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176176545.55114087/v1 155 views 182 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Both ground based magnetometers and ionospheric radars at Earth have frequently detected Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) fluctuations at discrete frequencies extending below one mHz-range. Many dayside solar wind drivers have been convincingly demonstrated as driver mechanism. In this paper we investigate and propose an additional, nightside generation mechanism of a low frequency magnetic field fluctuation. We propose that the Moon may excite a magnetic field perturbation of the order of 1 nT at discrete frequencies when it travels through the Earth’s magnetotail $\approx$ 4-5 days every month. Our theoretical prediction is supported by simulations and a case study of ARTEMIS magnetic field measurements at the lunar orbit in the Earth’s magnetotail. ARTEMIS detects peaks in magnetic field fluctuation power at frequencies of 0.37 to 0.47 mHz that are not present in the solar wind. Supplementary Material File (994907_0_merged_1714774861.pdf) Download 4.65 MB File (moon_ulf-si_submission.pdf) Download 4.08 MB File (moon_ulf-submission.pdf) Download 2.78 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 29 October 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords lunar wake plasma sheet ulf waves Authors Affiliations Katariina Nykyri 0000-0002-6905-9487 [email protected] Goddard Space Flight Center View all articles by this author Simone Di Matteo 0000-0001-6407-7574 Catholic University of America at NASA-GSFC View all articles by this author Martin Owain Archer 0000-0003-1556-4573 Imperial College London View all articles by this author Xuanye Ma 0000-0003-3942-1649 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University View all articles by this author Michael D. Hartinger 0000-0002-2643-2202 Space Science Institute View all articles by this author Menelaos Sarantos 0000-0003-0728-2971 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center View all articles by this author Eftyhia Zesta 0000-0002-1899-5275 NASA Goddard View all articles by this author William Paterson 0000-0001-9695-8149 NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center View all articles by this author Funding Information National Aeronautics and Space Administration 80NSSC23K0899 Katariina Nykyri Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 155 views 182 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Katariina Nykyri, Simone Di Matteo, Martin Owain Archer, et al. Could the Full Moon Excite a Low-Frequency Perturbation on the Earth's Magnetic Field?. Authorea . 29 October 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176176545.55114087/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. 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