Solar wind - Revision history

RichardWSmith: Added a link

2024-10-26T21:27:18Z

Added a link

RichardWSmith: /* Shielding */

2024-09-21T14:17:25Z

Shielding

RichardWSmith: /* Shielding */ No reason why a base couldn't have ISRU protection and a storm shelter.

2024-09-21T14:17:09Z

Shielding: No reason why a base couldn't have ISRU protection and a storm shelter.

RichardWSmith: /* Artificial magnetic field */ Does not work on high energy particles. low energy particles redirected to poles.

2024-09-21T14:15:45Z

Artificial magnetic field: Does not work on high energy particles. low energy particles redirected to poles.

RichardWSmith: The introduction confuses the normal solar wind with CME. I've rewritten this to make the distinction clearer.

2024-09-21T14:09:34Z

The introduction confuses the normal solar wind with CME. I've rewritten this to make the distinction clearer.

RichardWSmith: Rewrote this section to make it shorter and more accurate.

2024-09-21T13:58:51Z

Rewrote this section to make it shorter and more accurate.

RichardWSmith: /* Shielding */

2024-09-21T13:52:46Z

Shielding

RichardWSmith: /* Shielding */ Added link

2024-09-21T13:50:47Z

Shielding: Added link

RichardWSmith: Changed wording to make sentence clearer.

2021-05-06T23:26:06Z

Changed wording to make sentence clearer.

RichardWSmith: Added info on type of radiation the solar wind is made up of, and added information on shielding.

2021-05-06T23:20:47Z

Added info on type of radiation the solar wind is made up of, and added information on shielding.

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 The normal solar wind is little danger, but a powerful CME is deadly dangerous, since of Mars' thin atmosphere, radiation from CME's will reach ground level.  Large CME typically happen a couple times a year, so the plans to shield against radiation are concerned with handling these.
-Note that the solar wind consist of the following particles: electrons, protons, and alpha particles (helium nuclei).  This is bad (they are all forms of ionizing radiation), and good (this type of radiation is much easier to shield against than gamma rays).
+Note that the solar wind consist of the following particles: electrons, protons, and alpha particles (helium nuclei).  This is bad (they are all forms of [[Ionizing Radiation]]), and good (this type of radiation is much easier to shield against than gamma rays).
 ==Characteristics==

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ===Shielding===
-While shielding a space ship increases its mass and fuel consumption, the shielding of a Martian [[colony]] is much easier, since the mass is only limited by structural stability constraints.  Space craft will likely have a [[Storm shelter]], a small volume where there is much higher radiation protection.  The crew will have to crowd inside the storm shelter for the duration of the solar storm (~2 to 5 hours).  Small ground bases can either use this storm shelter, or use local resources (such as water or sand bags) to increase the radiation protection for the entire habitat or both.
+While shielding a space ship increases its mass and fuel consumption, the shielding of a Martian [[colony]] is much easier, since the mass is only limited by structural stability constraints.  Space craft will likely have a [[Storm shelter]], a small volume where there is much higher radiation protection.  The crew will have to crowd inside the storm shelter for the duration of the solar storm (~2 to 5 hours).  Small ground bases can either use this storm shelter, or use local resources (such as water or sand bags) to increase the radiation protection for the entire habitat, or both.
 ===References===

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ===Shielding===
-While shielding a space ship increases its mass and fuel consumption, the shielding of a Martian [[colony]] is much easier, since the mass is only limited by structural stability constraints.  Space craft will likely have a [[Storm shelter]], a small volume where there is much higher radiation protection.  The crew will have to crowd inside the storm shelter for the duration of the solar storm (~2 to 5 hours).  Small ground bases can either use this storm shelter, or use local resources (such as water or sand bags) to increase the radiation protection for the entire habitat.
+While shielding a space ship increases its mass and fuel consumption, the shielding of a Martian [[colony]] is much easier, since the mass is only limited by structural stability constraints.  Space craft will likely have a [[Storm shelter]], a small volume where there is much higher radiation protection.  The crew will have to crowd inside the storm shelter for the duration of the solar storm (~2 to 5 hours).  Small ground bases can either use this storm shelter, or use local resources (such as water or sand bags) to increase the radiation protection for the entire habitat or both.
 ===References===

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==Counter Measures==
 ===Artificial magnetic field===
-The threat from solar wind can be managed through the generation of local magnetic fields. Recent research has shown that the size of the field need only be several hundred meters wide to provide protection to [[human]]s in space.<ref>[http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/0741-3335/50/12/124025/ppcf8_12_124025.pdf| ''The interaction of a flowing plasma with a dipole magnetic field: measurements and modelling of a diamagnetic cavity relevant to spacecraft protection.'' R Bamford ''et al'' 2008 ''Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion'' v.50, Issue124025 Pages 1-11] </ref> This magnetic shield could be scaled up to protect an entire settlement on the surface.
+The threat from solar wind can be managed through the generation of local magnetic fields. Recent research has shown that the size of the field need only be several hundred meters wide to provide protection to [[human]]s in space.<ref>[http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/0741-3335/50/12/124025/ppcf8_12_124025.pdf| ''The interaction of a flowing plasma with a dipole magnetic field: measurements and modelling of a diamagnetic cavity relevant to spacecraft protection.'' R Bamford ''et al'' 2008 ''Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion'' v.50, Issue124025 Pages 1-11] </ref>  This works for low energy particles, high energy ones will punch thru.  Also note, that low energy particles will be trapped in the magnetic field lines, and approach the ship from two directions (the north and South Pole of the magnet).  Shielding will be required at these two locations, but this takes less mass than surrounding the full ship.
 ===Shielding===

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-The '''solar wind''' is the continuous stream of energetic and ionized particles from the [[Sun]] that extends far into interplanetary space following the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The ''solar wind'' strongly interacts with magnetic fields of the planets and will often manifest itself as [[aurora|aurorae]] in the upper atmospheres of planets with magnetic fields. The ''solar wind'' is often associated with [[Coronal Mass Ejections]] (CMEs), [[solar flares]] and coronal holes.
+The '''solar wind''' is the continuous stream of energetic and ionized particles from the [[Sun]] that extends far into interplanetary space following the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The ''solar wind'' strongly interacts with magnetic fields of the planets and will often manifest itself as [[aurora|aurorae]] in the upper atmospheres of planets with magnetic fields. The ''solar wind'' is a day to day event, and is not caused by [[Coronal Mass Ejections]] (CMEs).  The density of the solar wind is effected by [[solar flares]] and coronal holes.
-The normal solar wind is little danger, but a CME is deadly dangerous.  CME typically happen a couple times a year, so the plans to shield against radiation are concerned with handling CME's.
+In the case of Mars, with a weak (often considered to be non-existent) global magnetic field, solar wind particles directly impact the atmosphere, where as on Earth, charged particles are directed to polar regions.  There they usually have no effect, but might produce faint aurora.  (Strong aurora are caused by solar storms (CMEs).)
-In the case of Mars, with a weak (often considered to be non-existent) global magnetic field, solar wind particles have greater penetration into the atmosphere, creating a hazard to any future human [[settlement]]s on the surface. Like every other radioactive [[radiation]] it causes damage to material and health.
+The normal solar wind is little danger, but a powerful CME is deadly dangerous, since of Mars' thin atmosphere, radiation from CME's will reach ground level.  Large CME typically happen a couple times a year, so the plans to shield against radiation are concerned with handling these.
-Note that the solar wind consist of the following particles: electrons, protons, and alpha particles (helium nuclei).  This is bad (they are all forms of ionizing radiation), and good (this type of radiation is much easier to shield against, than gamma rays).
+Note that the solar wind consist of the following particles: electrons, protons, and alpha particles (helium nuclei).  This is bad (they are all forms of ionizing radiation), and good (this type of radiation is much easier to shield against than gamma rays).
 ==Characteristics==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==Effect on Mars==
-It is believed that the solar wind is responsible for the [[atmospheric loss]] of one third of Mars' [[atmosphere]] into space. Partly due to the Martian atmosphere's inability to retain its atmospheric gases due to the lack of a planetary [[magnetic field]] and the sheer voracity of the flow of ionizing solar wind particles, the solar wind is a major culprit for the [[atmospheric loss|low atmospheric pressure]] measured at the surface.
+It is believed that the solar wind is partly responsible for the loss of up to one third of Mars' [[atmosphere]] into space. (It is thought that the solar wind has stripped away a significant fraction of Mars' atmosphere, tho why this has not happened on Venus is unclear.) This process is very slow, if humans were to give Mars a 1 bar atmosphere, it would take 500 million years for the solar wind to reduce it back to a near vacuum.  See [[atmospheric loss]] for more information.
 ==Counter Measures==

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 ===Shielding===
-While shielding a space ship increases its mass and fuel consumption, the shielding of a Martian [[colony]] is much easier, since the mass is only limited by structural stability constraints.  Space craft will likely have a 'storm shelter', a small volume where there is much higher radiation protection.  The crew will have to crowd inside the storm shelter for the duration of the solar storm (~3 hours).  Small ground bases can either use this storm shelter, or use local resources (such as water or sand bags) to increase the radiation protection for the entire habitat.
+While shielding a space ship increases its mass and fuel consumption, the shielding of a Martian [[colony]] is much easier, since the mass is only limited by structural stability constraints.  Space craft will likely have a [[[Storm shelter]], a small volume where there is much higher radiation protection.  The crew will have to crowd inside the storm shelter for the duration of the solar storm (~2 to 5 hours).  Small ground bases can either use this storm shelter, or use local resources (such as water or sand bags) to increase the radiation protection for the entire habitat.
 ===References===