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tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,181

Re: Colonizing / terraforming small asteroids

Here is a result provided by Gemini, using a calculation for field strength provided by ChatGPT4

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We've been given a value for strength of the 1 Tesla field at 40 meters: 40m - 0.000016 Tesla. Please use that figure to compute the force on the washer at that distance. Please be sure to stay on the axis of the magnet so that the gradient question is not involved.

Gemini reply:

Absolutely! Now that we have the confirmed magnetic field strength (B_2) at 40 meters (0.000016 Tesla) and the force on the washer at 1 meter (F_1) from the previous calculations (based on material properties), we can estimate the force at the new distance.

Given:

Magnetic field strength at 1 meter (B_1) = 1 Tesla
Magnetic field strength at 40 meters (B_2) = 0.000016 Tesla
Force on washer at 1 meter (F_1) (based on material properties - we can use either high or low susceptibility scenario)
Unknown:

Force on washer at 40 meters (F_2)
Calculation:

The force on a magnetic moment (m) in a magnetic field (B) is proportional to the field strength:

F = m x B

Assuming the magnetic moment of the washer (m) remains relatively constant (dependent on the material properties), we can estimate the force at 40 meters using the following relationship:

F_2 ≈ F_1 * (B_2 / B_1)

Using the high susceptibility scenario (F_1 ≈ 5 grams):

F_2 ≈ 5 grams * (0.000016 T / 1 T) ≈ 8.0 x 10^-8 grams

Using the lower susceptibility scenario (F_1 ≈ 1 gram):

F_2 ≈ 1 gram * (0.000016 T / 1 T) ≈ 1.6 x 10^-8 grams

As expected, the force on the washer at 40 meters is significantly weaker compared to the values at 1 meter due to the much lower magnetic field strength (160 million times weaker).

Important Note: These are estimations based on the assumption that the magnetic moment of the washer remains constant. In reality, the washer's magnetic behavior might be slightly influenced by the weaker field at the new location.

Therefore, depending on the washer's material properties:

In the high susceptibility scenario, the estimated force on the washer at 40 meters is approximately 8.0 x 10^-8 grams.
In the lower susceptibility scenario, the estimated force on the washer at 40 meters is approximately 1.6 x 10^-8 grams.
These forces are incredibly small and likely undetectable with typical measurement equipment.

What the results suggest is that due to the inverse cube law, the force of a 1 Tesla magnet on one side of an asteroid would not be measurable on the other side.

This does not mean that Void's original idea would not work.  What it means is that a person planning to use this method needs to understand the inverse cube law.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,267

Re: Colonizing / terraforming small asteroids

TO MAKE LIFE MULTIPLANETARY
https://www.spacex.com/updates/#make-li … iplanetary
The goal of SpaceX is to build the technologies necessary to make life multiplanetary. This is the first time in the 4-billion-year history of Earth that it’s possible to realize that goal and protect the light of consciousness.

Nasa's Dart mission to blast asteroid off course created debris that will smash craters into Mars
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/nasa-dart-mi … s-craters/

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,181

Re: Colonizing / terraforming small asteroids

For Mars_B4_Moon re #352

Thank you for bringing this topic back into view.  We (humans) have an opportunity to visit Apophis in 2029 with more than the typical scientific interest. This close approach by the asteroid is an opportunity to harvest material from the asteroid in a serious/robust manner.

We (forum) have discussed this in a serious manner since Calliban opened his membership with a post on the subject, and we have a number of ideas available to develop for possible use in this application.

We have one member (GW Johnson) who is capable of plotting a course to intercept and dock with Apophis in 2029.

We have other members with skills that have the potential to assist with a project on this scale.

(th)

Calliban

Member

From: Northern England, UK

Registered: 2019-08-18

Posts: 3,433

Re: Colonizing / terraforming small asteroids

Meteorites indicate that many asteroids experienced radioactive internal heating early in the solar system.
https://aasnova.org/2022/02/23/meteorit … asteroids/

This suggests to me that life could have gotten started in some unexpected places.  Radioactive decay continues to this day in rocks containing traces of pottasium-40, Al-26, Th-232 and U-238.  Given that all asteroids contain at least some of these elements, they must be generating internal heat today.  Hence, all asteroids must have a temperature gradient with increasing depth.  For small asteroids, the temperature at their centres will not be substantially greater than average surface temperature.  But as radius increases and surface area per unit volume decreases, the thermal gradient will increase.  Large asteroids 100+ km in diameter, could still have warm cores, although probably not hot enough to melt rock or iron.  But warm enough to use as a geothermal heat source?  Maybe.

The case for this is stronger if the asteroid surface is covered with thick, loosely bound regolith.  This has very low thermal conductivity in vacuum, on the order of 1-3mW/m.K.  An asteroid with a uniformly thick regolith layer would be very good at retaining internal heat.  This would be an interesting question to investigate using a spreadsheet programme.  If we drill down to the core of a 100km asteroid, will it be warm enough to melt water ice?

Last edited by Calliban (2024-04-23 09:45:25)

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"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."

Terraformer

Member

From: Ceres

Registered: 2007-08-27

Posts: 3,818

Website

Re: Colonizing / terraforming small asteroids

Ceres is known to have liquid water. How connected it is idk, I don't think Dawn was equipped to find that out?

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"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

Void

Member

Registered: 2011-12-29

Posts: 7,111

Re: Colonizing / terraforming small asteroids

https://spaceref.com/science-and-explor … -activity/
Quote:

The Dwarf Planet Ceres Consists of up to a Quarter Ice and Water

Image Quote:
Quote:

Ahuna Mons on Ceres: A New and Unusual Type of Volcanic Activity
By Keith Cowing
June 11, 2019
LinkedInFacebookTwitter
Filed under Ceres, NASA

Done

Last edited by Void (2024-04-24 09:47:30)

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Done.