Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Space plasma

Lunar modulations

Nature Physics volume 19, pages 467–468 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Tides not only affect ocean dynamics but also influence the Earth’s magnetosphere. Satellite observations have now revealed evidence of tidal effects in the Earth’s plasmasphere correlated with Moon phases.

Ocean tides have been known since ancient times. Their relation to the phases of the Moon was realized in antiquity, at the latest. Throughout the centuries, a series of tidal phenomena has been discovered, ranging from the terrestrial tides to lunar modulations of the ionosphere. Lunar tidal oscillations have manifold effects on our planet, including on groundwater flow, ocean streams and atmospheric winds. They also trigger seismic events and volcanic eruptions, and perturb vertical deflection. Now, writing in Nature Physics, Chao Xiao and colleagues have provided evidence for the existence of a lunar tidal variation in the boundary of the plasmasphere1, which surrounds the Earth and co-rotates with it.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: The Earth’s plasmasphere.

References

  1. Xiao, C. et al. Nat. Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01882-8 (2023)..

  2. Goldstein, J. in Solar Dynamics and Its Effects on the Heliosphere and Earth (eds Baker, D. N. et al.) 203–216 (Springer, 2006).

  3. André, N. & Lemaire, J. J. Atmos. Sol. Terr. Phys. 68, 213–227 (2006).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Immel, T. J. et al. Nat. Geosci. 14, 893–898 (2021).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wygant, J. R. et al. Space Sci. Rev. 179, 183–220 (2013).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Matsushita, S. in Geophysics III. Encyclopedia of Physics Vol. 10/49/2 (ed. Bartels, J.) 547–602 (Springer, 1967).

  7. Pedatella, N. M. & Forbes, J. M. Geophys. Res. Lett. 37, L06103 (2010).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Carpenter, D. L. & Lemaire, J. Ann. Geophys. 22, 4291–4298 (2004).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, Sopron, Hungary

    Balázs Heilig

  2. Space Research Group, Department of Geophysics and Space Science, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary

    Balázs Heilig

Authors
  1. Balázs Heilig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Balázs Heilig.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Heilig, B. Lunar modulations. Nat. Phys. 19, 467–468 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01913-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01913-4

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing