Tag Archives: convection

Did big impacts turn off Mars’ dynamo?

Several giant impact basins on Mars have ages that suggest they formed at about the same time that the planet’s global magnetic field disappeared. Is it coincidence or is there a connection? While not claiming a direct causal connection, geophysicists … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

What turned off the Martian magnetic field?

For roughly the first 500 to 800 million years of its existence, Mars had a magnetic field generated by a natural internal dynamo. This was powered by convection currents in the planet’s molten iron core, which operated vigorously as they … Continue reading

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off