TibGT6

Would it be possible to bury a magnet (or electro magnetic device) deep into the moon far enough to artificially cause a EMF around the moon to replicate/simulate the earth's so that people could walk the moon w/o radiation effects? Looking for the resident HA science geeks to chime in here.

187sks

It would be theoretically possible, but horribly expensive, massive, and impractical.

Hijinx

First of all, I wouldn't worry about radiation. You need hundreds of watts over a length of time before it starts to bother you. I'm Radio/Satellite Communications in the AF. I work with propagating radio waves all the time. Now, by your theory we should all be sick anyway, if you're concerned with the effects of creating an EMF... For one with the earths natrual field already, and two because EMF are all around us already. That wifi you're using? That text you sent...Color and light is EMF. For instance, take a certain piece of equipment I use to maintain... It had a function to track the satellite it was connected too. I won't go into specifics but the antenna has motors on it. Well, whenever the sun shine directly into the antenna, it would lose the tracking signal, and we'd have to manually track it, again I won't go into specifics.



Now, as far as placing giant magnets on the moon. Do you suggest we all wear suits will some metal alloy in it? Because it won't work other than that. Gravity and magnetism are two different things. Gravity doesn't give a crap, it pulls all towards it. Magnetism depends on polorization of specific material. So if you're suggesting the magnetic field keeps us on earth, you're wrong. The moon simply doesn't have enough mass. Which is why if you were to go to say... Jupiter, you'd be crushed.





I forgot to add: Yes, it's possible...if we're all wearing some kind of metal alloy suit. Or boots. Depending on how deep said magnets are buried, they wouldn't give two cents, and pull everything to them. And then there's the matter of everything else metal. What if you come to an edge of a magnet, and suddenly you're thrown off the moon? Nevermind that, what about the edges alone? They'd probably explode the surface trying to get away from each other...it would be similar to tectonic plates...MOONQUAKES!

radu_rd2

He wasn't suggesting anything about gravity. Just that Earth's natural magnetic field is what shields us from a lot of radiation and cosmic rays, and whether something like that could be artificially created on the moon so that people could be shielded from radiation on the moon. I am not sure if it would be theoretically possible, even if it was I suspect it would be completely impractical.



And yes, you absolutely need to worry about radiation if you are walking on the moon. Radiation doesn't mean only radio waves, it can mean particle radiation (electrons protons etc) e.g. from solar winds. I believe the landings in the Apollo missions were carefully timed to minimize exposure.

wheel_of_steel

I think TibGT6 was implying that the EMF would counter any radioactivity that you might encounter on the moon. IMO radioactivity is only a mild concern when there isn't an atmosphere, or any water.

Hijinx

OOOOOhhhhh... my bad.



Radu, radio waves are electrons.

radu_rd2

Uhm, are you high? Or just have absolutely no idea what you are talking about?

Hijinx

Ok, then tell me what radio waves are composed of... Once you get that down, explain to me why propagation through dry/arid climate is harder than wet/humid climates.

radu_rd2

This is not up for debate. Electrons are particles with mass, hence they cannot travel at light speed. Radio waves, in vacuum, travel at the speed of light.



Perhaps you want to say they are photons.

Hijinx

Good point... I got some googling to do real quick...





Fack! Photons it is.