Comments on: How the atmosphere protects us from radiation. https://habitablezone.com/2017/05/23/how-the-atmosphere-protects-us-from-radiation/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: BuckGalaxy https://habitablezone.com/2017/05/23/how-the-atmosphere-protects-us-from-radiation/#comment-39328 BuckGalaxy Wed, 24 May 2017 21:27:58 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=64338#comment-39328 So the bottom line, if no atmosphere + magnetosphere, then no VLF wave effect. I agree we shouldn't be messing with our planet like this. So the bottom line, if no atmosphere + magnetosphere, then no VLF wave effect.

I agree we shouldn’t be messing with our planet like this.

]]> By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2017/05/23/how-the-atmosphere-protects-us-from-radiation/#comment-39322 hank Tue, 23 May 2017 23:28:15 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=64338#comment-39322 lead has a density of 0.409 lbs/in^3 So the atmosphere's ability to shield us from ionizing radiation is equivalent to about a yard of lead plate. lead has a density of 0.409 lbs/in^3

So the atmosphere’s ability to shield us from ionizing radiation is equivalent to about a yard of lead plate.

]]> By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2017/05/23/how-the-atmosphere-protects-us-from-radiation/#comment-39321 hank Tue, 23 May 2017 23:12:52 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=64338#comment-39321 It's just when you have a plasma (charged particles) embedded in a magnetic field, the two affect each other. The plasma is a conductor and can carry an electric current, and it is affected by the magnetic field. It’s just when you have a plasma (charged particles) embedded in a magnetic field, the two affect each other. The plasma is a conductor and can carry an electric current, and it is affected by the magnetic field.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2017/05/23/how-the-atmosphere-protects-us-from-radiation/#comment-39320 RL Tue, 23 May 2017 23:05:41 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=64338#comment-39320 The charged particles are deflected by the magnetic field...not other charged particles. The charged particles are deflected by the magnetic field…not other charged particles.

]]> By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2017/05/23/how-the-atmosphere-protects-us-from-radiation/#comment-39319 hank Tue, 23 May 2017 16:03:36 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=64338#comment-39319 The wiki entry on cosmic rays gives a good summary of their properties. They are extremely energetic charged particles, probably created by supernova explosions and active galactic nuclei, and are composed of a variety of particles; atomic nuclei, protons, electrons, even particles of antimatter. Although electrically charged, therefore in principle manipulable by electrical and magnetic fields, they are extremely energetic and traveling at relativistic speeds, which greatly increase their mass and kinetic energy. I would suspect that the electromagnetic fields necessary to protect a space craft from them would require too much energy and equipment to generate them to be practical. The van Allen belts of electrically charged particles provide some protection, but most are stopped by the sheer mass of the atmosphere (see post above). The solar wind is similar, but not as powerful. However, it is prone to occasional outbursts that can be predicted several days ahead of time so that spacecraft crews would have time to take protective measures, like maneuver the ship so its bulk could shield the crew spaces, or to shelter in radiation-shielded vaults. Around Jupiter and Saturn, the immense magnetic fields generated by thse planets traps and accelerates charged particles to very high velocities, which explains why the radiation environment around gas giant planets is so deadly. No radio frequency by itself can stop any of this radiation, it has no effect on it whatsoever. It appears the effect you mention can somehow alter the belt of charged particles that protects earth, and that is how the phenomenon you refer to works. I'm not sure how this VLF technique operates, or even if it does, but assuming it does work, I don't see how it could be adapted to a spacecraft. Spacecraft don't carry clouds of charged particles thousands of miles thick around them. Still, this does look like exciting research that should be further explored, but my original objection still stands: we should NOT be experimenting with our own planet's radiation protection. When the French military was testing their nuclear weapons on Pacific atolls, Greenpeace protested. The French military authorities responded that the tests were perfectly safe. Greenpeace's answer was, "If its so safe, why don't you test it in Paris?" The wiki entry on cosmic rays gives a good summary of their properties. They are extremely energetic charged particles, probably created by supernova explosions and active galactic nuclei, and are composed of a variety of particles; atomic nuclei, protons, electrons, even particles of antimatter. Although electrically charged, therefore in principle manipulable by electrical and magnetic fields, they are extremely energetic and traveling at relativistic speeds, which greatly increase their mass and kinetic energy. I would suspect that the electromagnetic fields necessary to protect a space craft from them would require too much energy and equipment to generate them to be practical. The van Allen belts of electrically charged particles provide some protection, but most are stopped by the sheer mass of the atmosphere (see post above).

The solar wind is similar, but not as powerful. However, it is prone to occasional outbursts that can be predicted several days ahead of time so that spacecraft crews would have time to take protective measures, like maneuver the ship so its bulk could shield the crew spaces, or to shelter in radiation-shielded vaults.

Around Jupiter and Saturn, the immense magnetic fields generated by thse planets traps and accelerates charged particles to very high velocities, which explains why the radiation environment around gas giant planets is so deadly.

No radio frequency by itself can stop any of this radiation, it has no effect on it whatsoever. It appears the effect you mention can somehow alter the belt of charged particles that protects earth, and that is how the phenomenon you refer to works. I’m not sure how this VLF technique operates, or even if it does, but assuming it does work, I don’t see how it could be adapted to a spacecraft. Spacecraft don’t carry clouds of charged particles thousands of miles thick around them. Still, this does look like exciting research that should be further explored, but my original objection still stands: we should NOT be experimenting with our own planet’s radiation protection.

When the French military was testing their nuclear weapons on Pacific atolls, Greenpeace protested. The French military authorities responded that the tests were perfectly safe. Greenpeace’s answer was, “If its so safe, why don’t you test it in Paris?”

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