2.5-D fluid simulations of the solar wind interacting with multiple dipoles on the surface of the Moon

[1] Initial two-dimensional (2-D) MHD simulations indicated that mini-magnetospheres can form around magnetic anomalies on the surface of the Moon but required magnetic field strengths at 100 km above the surface an order of magnitude larger than in situ measurements. Modeling the lunar magnetic anomalies with multiple dipoles in 2.5-D MPD simulations inflates the size of the mini-magnetospheres for only small increases in the magnitude of the total magnetic field. Multiple dipoles increase the lateral distance over which solar wind plasma is held off the surface. This extended magnetic field geometry inflates the mini-magnetosphere by inhibiting fluid flow within the shock region. With multiple dipoles, a mini-magnetosphere will form with magnetic field magnitudes smaller than the lower limit for a single dipole. These results indicate that the higher order moments of the anomalous magnetic fields play a significant role in deflecting the solar wind and determining the size and shape of the mini-magnetosphere.