• Question: Is a magnetic field needed to terraform mars?

    Asked by Ruffnut to Andrew, Hina, Ian, Kathryn, Leah-Nani, Xu on 15 Jun 2018.
    • Photo: Kathryn Burrows

      Kathryn Burrows answered on 15 Jun 2018:

      I am no expert on terraforming! But I do know that the Earths iron core generates our our magnetic field around the planet which protects us from solar radiation. Mars does not have the same core structure and has a much weaker magnetic field protecting the surface.

    • Photo: Leah-Nani Alconcel

      Leah-Nani Alconcel answered on 18 Jun 2018:

      It would certainly help. The Earth’s magnetic field is one of the reasons that life could develop on Earth, since it protects us from the worst effects of the Sun’s radiation. We don’t have the knowledge necessary to induce a permanent magnetic field in Mars’ core right now, though.

    • Photo: Andrew Margetts-Kelly

      Andrew Margetts-Kelly answered on 19 Jun 2018:

      While not absolutely needed for transforming it would really help for a couple of reasons:
      1. Life is happier when there is less radiation (which a magnetic field help reduce)
      2. It helps stop the solar wind from blowing your atmosphere away (which you’ve worked really hard to generate)

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