pgrmdave Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...htm?list110584 I hadn't really thought about the fact that even the near side of the moon gets hit with many more meteors than earth, and even a small meteor at sufficient speeds could be devastating. I wonder though, could we build a magnetic field strong enough not to deflect these small meteors, but to cause enough friction to slow them down and burn them up until they were no longer dangerous but annoying? Quote
Mercedes Benzene Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 Does the moon really get hit more than the earth though???I heard once that it did not. It's just that since the moon does not have shifting tectonic plates, and other seismic activity, the craters just stay there.Here on earth, we have earthquakes, tectonic movement, volcanos, erosion, and other natural events that "hide" or "demolish" craters. As for a magnetic field... I'm not sure you can simply build one... Our magnetic field is due to the presence of a moving metal core... something the moon does not have... And even then, I'm not sure a magnetic field would slow down meteors... Quote
pgrmdave Posted June 23, 2006 Author Report Posted June 23, 2006 The earth's atmosphere burns up almost all the meteors that come here, so yes, the ground gets hit more often. Quote
Roadam Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 The best thing I think is to dig our base into moon rock or cover it with molten regolith co we make thick shield against meteorites and some radiation. Quote
Mercedes Benzene Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 molten regolith Wow... how do you suppose you'll achieve that? Quote
Roadam Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 well of course it wiil cool down to solid. But you could be able to melt it with some mirrors? Quote
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