EarthSolar t1_j8rrerb wrote on February 16, 2023 at 2:19 PM

Reply to comment by Pornelius_McSucc in Terraforming a magnetosphere possible? by Pornelius_McSucc

IIRC we had some really good answers from actual scientists about why magnetic field doesn’t do jack about the atmosphere, but idk why they’re not here. I’ll try to find it.

Pornelius_McSucc OP t1_j8rrzm3 wrote on February 16, 2023 at 2:23 PM

So there is really no benefit after all? Except maybe radiation in a less dense atmosphere like ours?

EarthSolar t1_j8rsitb wrote on February 16, 2023 at 2:27 PM

Found it

I’m not sure how much thinner atmosphere would be required for radiation to be a big issue - I mean it doesn’t just instantly become an issue once it crosses a certain threshold - but I think it’s likely that any breathable mix is going to reduce the radiation to negligible levels.

Pornelius_McSucc OP t1_j8ru4vo wrote on February 16, 2023 at 2:39 PM

Well wow. That's a big weight off, I suppose is one way to look at it lol. Possibly still a good idea for Jovian moons being baked by Jupiter's radiation? But then again, any settlement on a Jovian ice moon will be completely enclosed to begin with, as terraforming is an impractical impossibility I assume.

EarthSolar t1_j8rw19v wrote on February 16, 2023 at 2:52 PM

And why would you want to terraform those iceballs anyway? Just dig down and live in the ice shell or the subsurface oceans. Not much difference really.