What would be best way to re-melt Mars' mantle and core to revive its magnetosphere
Missing magnetosphere on Mars keeps popping up. Most likely caused by Mars core being cold, mantle not bubbly enough. Mars mantle is dormant, core does not move.
What would be good way to get it going? So future martians don't have to spend all the time deep under surface in the tunnels.
My wild guesses (which I don't have to time to evaluate now, and for next week, sadly):
- Nukes? But it seems to be a lot of nukes, and drilling them deep enough would not be easy. Mantle is thick but not cold.
- Asteroid bombardment? That would be a lot of asteroids. Hopefully iron ones - and because energy is added from surface, how to warm the core? Would we have to melt the crust completely?
- Iron/nickel asteroids, melted and accelerated to near-c speed (to add more energy per unit of mass added)? Will they tear Mars apart?
- Reflected solar energy? Could take a LONG time.
- Anything even better?
Assume any plausible future technology.
I like to add energy closer to core, so surface has better chance to cool faster. But likely such terraforming would take many millions of years. Any better ideas how to do it?
One reason I prefer not to use electromagnets in orbit: I would like to use planet for experiments with development sapient race. They would be very surprised to see the electromagnets, and would expect gods to take care of any problem. I prefer them to be more self-reliant, and not have to repair magnets every thousand years. I have other planets to terraform for other sapient races. :-)
Also thinking some more, months later: such magnets in orbit will for sure apply electromagnetic force on particles, which might slow the satellites and they will need fuel to keep up in the orbit. And huge (acres) of solar panels will also have some resistance, more fuel need for station-keeping. Looks like orbiting magnets are way too much hassle.
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1 answer
Late answer, just found this article: Nasa Proposes Magnetic Shield For Mars
The important bit from the article:
Ask scientists why Mars is cold and dead and they'll usually point to the death of its magnetic field some 4.2 billion years ago. Without that protection, solar winds gradually stripped it of most of its atmosphere. A NASA-led team, however, thinks there's still a chance to protect what's left -- and human explorers in the process. The scientists have proposed a magnetic shield that would sit at the L1 Lagrange Point beyond the planet, creating an artificial magnetosphere that would deflect solar winds and incoming radiation. Simulations even suggest that the atmosphere would get thick enough to melt carbon dioxide ice at Mars' northern pole, sparking a greenhouse gas effect that would melt water ice and restore some of Mars' oceans. Needless to say, that would be much friendlier to any long-term visitors.
Edit:
And from this article:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a25493/magnetic-shield-mars-atmosphere/
Edit 2:
Link to PDF with more detail: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/V2050/pdf/8250.pdf
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