The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

Josh Cryer · 2003-03-31 18:07:37

I've slowly allowed myself to drop my skepticism with regards to the geo-reactor, but I still wonder. If this is the explaination, why doesn't Venus exhibit the same sort of characteristics? One explaination I thought of was that perhaps, with small scale metalic planets, such reactions need to be jump started. Such as a collision with a moon or whatever.

Shaun Barrett · 2003-04-01 02:01:56

Hi NuclearSpace!
It's good to see this topic resurface. You may be interested to go back two pages in this Forum to "Earth's Reactor Core - Why Greenies need nuclear power!" (Sept. '02)
A discussion was started on this very subject but seemed to die a natural death before it really took off. As far as I know, you weren't involved in New Mars at the time, otherwise I feel sure you would have made some comments on it - since your interest in fission power is well documented!

The reason I'm posting now (apart from my natural fascination with this amazing concept), is to bring your attention to a hypothesis I dreamed up that Mars may yet have a functioning reactor at its core. If you read what I wrote back in September, you'll see I've been wondering about the possibility that Mars' reactor might shut down for lengthy periods, but then restart itself as perhaps Earth's does during polarity reversals. If so, maybe we've arrived at Mars (vicariously that is! ) during a reactor core and global magnetic field shut-down.
This pet-hypothesis of mine of course depends on evidence for sporadic Martian vocanism into recent geological eras. I made reference to such evidence in September '02 and I believe there's been further tantalising evidence recorded since then which supports this notion. (Can't remember where at the moment.)

My gut feeling is that Mars is far from geothermally dead!
I'd love to hear from anyone who may have found recent reports which point to Martian volcanic activity in the past few million years. The older theories appear to support the idea that Mars, being a smallish world, has dissipated most of its heat. This new reactor theory, in my view, may give new hope to those of us hanging out for a nice climate-altering eruption of one of the Tharsis volcanoes!!!

[P.S. Mars is actually warming up at the moment. CO2 ice layers at the south pole are visibly diminishing from year to year. Who knows why. In the context of this discussion, perhaps the Martian reactor core is restarting as we speak and the increasing flux of energy from the interior is responsible for the subliming of the dry ice! ]

Shaun Barrett · 2003-04-01 06:53:35

Thanks, NuclearSpace.
I would be most interested to hear Dr. Herndon's opinions about the hypothetical behaviour of a Mars reactor core, assuming such a thing exists.

Phobos · 2003-04-01 13:53:04

The reason I'm posting now (apart from my natural fascination with this amazing concept), is to bring your attention to a hypothesis I dreamed up that Mars may yet have a functioning reactor at its core.

I remember you mentioning that. Even if Mars doesn't have a lot of active volcanoes it's possible that a lot of the areas that show recent water runoff might be related to geothermal energy, which could be evidence that Mars hasn't cooled off. Anyhow, if Mars happens to have a nuclear reactor at the core I'm going to nominate you for the Nobel Prize in geology. Come to think of it, do they even offer Nobels in that field, if they don't they should!

TJohn · 2003-04-01 14:49:35

If and when Mars does become geothermally active, could you imagine an eruption of Olympus Mon? How much damage would a volcano of that size cause?

soph · 2003-04-01 16:09:27

If and when Mars does become geothermally active, could you imagine an eruption of Olympus Mon? How much damage would a volcano of that size cause?

The chunks would weigh less, and a lot of it would probably never reach the bottom, so on a serious note, I don't think it would be all that dangerous, unless you set up shop on the mountain.

Shaun Barrett · 2003-04-01 18:11:03

Hi Phobos!
If there is a Nobel prize in all this, it would probably come under the physics umbrella, I suppose, since the reactor core hypothesis would most likely be described as geophysics.
Your intention to nominate ME for such a prize is, very unfortunately, totally undeserved flattery of the highest order!!

I believe Dr. J. Marvin Herndon, who originated the idea of the planetary nuclear reactor, worked on it at his own expense for 10 years, published papers on it and recently popularised it, might just have a prior claim to that prize!!! :;):

I took Dr. Herndon's brilliant theory, selected one or two aspects of it that suited my purposes, and launched into wild speculation about Mars and its geothermal/magnetic behaviour!
The last time I looked, they weren't giving out prizes for that sort of thing!! (More's the pity! )

But thanks anyway, ol' buddy!

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#1 2003-03-31 18:07:37

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

#2 2003-04-01 02:01:56

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

#3 2003-04-01 06:53:35

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

#4 2003-04-01 13:53:04

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

#5 2003-04-01 14:49:35

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

#6 2003-04-01 16:09:27

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

#7 2003-04-01 18:11:03

Re: The Nuclear Heart of the Planet Earth - with implications for life on Mars.

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