Tag Archives: magnetic field

New model for martian crustal magnetism

Posted on June 13, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Benoit Langlais and four co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] A New Model of the Crustal Magnetic Field of Mars Using MGS and MAVEN • MGS and MAVEN magnetic field measurements … Continue reading →

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MAVEN: High solar wind pressure hastens loss of atmosphere

Posted on March 13, 2019 by rburnham

New MAVEN research shows that high solar wind pressure influences Mars’ magnetic fields in ways that can increase the global loss of atmosphere to space. Planetary atmospheres are constantly bombarded by energy and radiation from the Sun, and over time … Continue reading →

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MAVEN webinar: Do habitable worlds require magnetic fields?

Posted on April 12, 2018 by rburnham

[The MAVEN mission is holding a public webinar on April 18, 2018, at 7 p.m. Eastern; 4 p.m. Pacific.] What does it take for a planet to be hospitable for life? Join MAVEN Co-Investigator Dr. Dave Brain of the Laboratory … Continue reading →

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MAVEN: Mars has a twisted magnetotail

Posted on October 19, 2017 by rburnham

Mars has an invisible magnetic “tail” that is twisted by interaction with the solar wind, according to new research using data from MAVEN. MAVEN is in orbit around Mars gathering data on how the Red Planet lost much of its … Continue reading →

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Mars ionosphere shaped by crustal magnetic fields

Posted on November 7, 2016 by rburnham

Scattered pockets of magnetism across the surface of Mars have a significant influence on the planet’s upper atmosphere, according to observations from ESA’s Mars Express. Understanding these effects may be crucial for ensuring safe radio communications between Mars and Earth … Continue reading →

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Did big impacts turn off Mars’ dynamo?

Posted on June 19, 2014 by rburnham

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 →

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Mars’ explosive childhood

Posted on December 14, 2012 by rburnham

Mars is widely understood to be a volcanic planet — its surface shows abundant evidence of volcanic activity, both ancient and more recent. Spacecraft detect lava flows in many locations, and spectroscopic evidence of volcanic rocks lies almost everywhere. The … Continue reading →

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When did the Martian dynamo die?

Posted on November 7, 2012 by rburnham

Current thinking among Mars scientists holds that the Red Planet’s dynamo — the geo-engine in its molten core which generates a global magnetic field — was active soon after the planet formed, but turned off about 4 billion years ago. … Continue reading →

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What turned off the Martian magnetic field?

Posted on February 3, 2012 by rburnham

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 →

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Did big impacts disrupt heat flow in the Martian mantle?

Posted on January 26, 2012 by rburnham

Mars shows more than 20 impact basins with diameters of at least 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), and five of these are 2,500 km wide or larger. Based on crater counts, most of the basins appear to have occurred between in … Continue reading →

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