Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN: 9780134746241
Author: Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher: PEARSON
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Several planets in our solar system have a magnetosphere. Describe what is required, in general, for a magnetosphere to exist (not just Earth). Also comment on what you see as the impact to us if we had no magnetosphere.

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INTRODUCTION 

Magnetosphere: A magnetosphere is a region around a planet dominated by the planet's magnetic field. Other planets in our solar system have magnetospheres, but Earth has the strongest one of all the rocky planets: Earth's magnetosphere is a vast, comet-shaped bubble, which has played a crucial role in our planet's habitability.

Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune each have an intrinsic magnetosphere due to their internal magnetic fields. Venus and Mars, on the other hand, lack a global magnetic field, which might have been responsible for Mars losing its atmosphere due to solar wind sputtering.

The most important condition for a magnetosphere to exist is the presence of a magnetic dipole which will create a magnetic field around the astronomical body. The magnetic dipole can be defined as the behavior of a body in which it acts as a magnet with two poles each on the opposite end, which exert equal magnetic force in opposite directions. It keeps the total magnetic movement constant. Due to this magnetic dipole, a big magnetic field is generated around the body, it shields the body from the magnetic activity of space. The earth's magnetic field is formed due to the current of liquid metal that flows in the core of the earth, while for other planets and bodies, the reason could be the same as well as different it depends on the chemical composition and physical features of the body.  The magnetosphere has large amounts of plasma, electrically charged ions which are anions and cations. They are positively and negatively charged.

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