Is there something wrong at NASA? I was incredibly interested in one of the ideas that came to mind among the agency’s scientists. The idea is to create an artificial “magnetic shield” that could protect the Red Planet’s atmosphere from the destructive effects of the solar wind. The presentation by Dr. Jim Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, at the Planetary Science Vision 2050 Workshop conference clearly indicated: there is a project that could contribute to the reconstruction of Mars’ atmosphere.
We know that Mars, like Earth, once had its own magnetic field. But about 4.2 billion years ago, it disappeared, leading to a gradual loss of atmosphere. The result was a slow transition from a humid, warmer Mars to a cold, hostile desert. The orbiting exploration missions Mars Express and MAVEN confirmed that the main culprit in this loss of atmosphere was the solar wind, which continues to slowly “steal” gas from Mars’ atmosphere.
Green’s proposal involves placing a magnetic dipole shield at the Lagrange point (L1) of Mars, a place where the gravitational forces of Mars and the Sun are balanced. An artificial magnetosphere created in this way could effectively protect the planet from radiation and further loss of atmosphere. It sounds like complete science fiction, but — interestingly — it has its basis in research on miniature magnetospheres, which are already being tested in laboratories on Earth.
Scientists’ simulations have shown that such a magnetic field could counteract the solar wind, allowing the Martian atmosphere to reach a stable state. Such protection would be crucial for future manned missions, which NASA plans to carry out by the 2030s. Without such a shield, future astronauts will have… a hard time. Radiation, cold, almost zero humidity… these are not friendly conditions. Certainly not ones in which humans can live, and it will be difficult even with all the protective measures.
A system like this could lead to noticeable climate changes on Mars. Shielded from the solar wind, the planet’s atmosphere could gradually thicken, causing a temperature rise of about 4 degrees Celsius. That would be enough to melt the carbon dioxide deposits at Mars’ poles, which in turn would create a greenhouse effect. It would also melt the ice and make the planet wetter.
Perhaps in this way we would regain the Martian oceans that covered the surface of the Red Planet billions of years ago. Terraforming Mars seems like a very risky business to us, but there is a group of scientists who believe in the success of such a mission. A stronger atmosphere would not only protect against radiation, but would also facilitate the delivery of equipment and — perhaps — support the development of “greenhouse” agriculture. For a Martian base to survive in these conditions, the people there must be self-sufficient.
If this can be achieved in the coming decades, it will create completely new possibilities for future generations of space explorers who dream of colonizing Mars. Under current conditions, this is an incredibly difficult task. The question is, do we understand the consequences of such an action well – would we actually achieve exactly what scientists say? Nobody knows for sure.
Source: antyweb.pl
