The Influence of Planetary Magnetic Fields on Atmospheric Retention and Habitability
Whitepaper #263 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: atmospheric/exospheric evolution; habitability and water; other science themes: Magnetic fields
by Dave Brain, Rob Lillis, Yingjuan Ma, and Robin Ramstad
Published onMar 18, 2021
The Influence of Planetary Magnetic Fields on Atmospheric Retention and Habitability
At present it is uncertain whether magnetic fields shield atmospheres from escaping to space, influencing their habitability. We call attention to this question, advocating for comparable measurements of escape from many solar system objects, resources for model development, a unifying theoretical framework, and an interdisciplinary approach.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
