Magnetic Refuge Found on Moon

From discovery News

It doesn't explain to me a non-technical sort, why there would be a small magnetic field in one tiny spot...what could do that?



"THE GIST
The first image is made of a magnetic umbrella on the moon.
The mini-magnetosphere provides weak protection from the solar wind.
The protected area could offer prime real estate for future moon travelers.


A miniature magnetic field has been imaged on the surface of the moon, making it a rare, minimally protective lunar refuge from some aspects of the harsh solar wind.

The magnetic region could be a great place to site a lunar base, since tomorrow's lunar colonists will not only need water (check!), but some protection from the heavy radiation in the solar wind.

"You can think of it as kind of a mini umbrella," said Martin Wieser of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna, Sweden. "It will be effective for certain kinds of (space) weather..."

complete article

reply to post by wiseone11

Like it says, It could offer some protection from the solar wind (which isn't really too much of a problem anyway).

No one is too sure about what causes the magnetic fields. Asteroid impacts, residual magnetism from when the Moon may have had an actual magnetosphere.

I think it's odd we're just now finding it considering all the study so many countries have performed there...first water, now magnetic umbrella...I guess virgin airlines will have a site to build their first "get away" vacation spot...aren't they already selling trips to space?

reply to post by wiseone11

We've known about the scattered magnetic fields on the Moon for quite a while. Based on that knowledge "mini-magnetospheres" were theorized but we didn't have the instruments to verify their existence until recently. The discovery was actually made last year.

Branson is working on it. The first rides will just be up and back down affairs, not even reaching orbit. The hotels are a long ways off.



[edit on 4/28/2010 by Phage]

Do you think these mini-fields could emanate from some type of magnetically charged asteroids(meteors) that are scattered randomly across the surface?

I do not know what would case a meteorite to be magnetically charged to such an extent, but it may be possible.

What are your thoughts?

I think i remember learning that our own magnetic field is not consistent...but that is the limit of my knowledge..I'll have to look around and see if there isn't more out there about the moon's magnetic fields.

Magnetic fields are created by the molten core of celestial bodies, (planets) a weak magnetic field coming from the moon is suggestive of a still active yet almost completely cooled core.

Before you say, "but wait! the moon is not a planet." allow me to inform you that yes it was in fact a planet at one time. (long explanation, do a little research)
In the beginning of our solar system there were far more planets than there are now, so many in fact that many of them slammed into each other because of how relatively close they were and the gravitational forces of those planets. This is how the asteroid belt was formed, failed planet fragments.


5th grade science...

reply to post by wiseone11



You are correct, it is irregular.
If you can find them and I'm sure you can, there are models of our magnetosphere that show this.

Basically it KIND OF looks like a side ways egg, the side facing the sun is like a large bubble that "rolls" the solar radiation away from the center towards the poles where some can slip through the irregularity's and cause auroras. Which is why the ozone layer is so important, It also plays a big role as well in protecting us from solar radiation. The bigger the hole in the ozone layer, the more radiation can get through to us. Makes for even better auroras though.

anyone else hoping there is a black monolith buried under there?

Shame its not in tyco crater

Arthur C Clarke might have been right again

reply to post by SmokeytheHair


I thought they said there were "mini" fields.

This precludes the core-field theory.

The core-field is huge and although it may be irregular, I do not think that is what is being discussed here.

I think we are discussing multiple mini-fields in different locations that are separate.

Correct me if I am wrong??