Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Just what is a "habitable zone"?

Habitable Moons

Hi Board

Sky and Telescope did an article on habitable moons not so long ago. Such are more likely now that a few Jovians have been found within the HZ of their primaries.

On the issue of radiation belts - well since Jovian radiation peaks in the MeV energy range while cosmics peak in the GeV and higher range, and our atmosphere does a good job of reducing cosmic radiation, I'd say a rad-belt is a non-issue.

Also any moon that keeps an atmosphere will have a decent magnetic field, which quite effectively protects the Earth from the solar wind. All the Galileans seem to have fields of their own - Io and Ganymede seem to even have fields internally generated rather than merely induced - so I'd say fields seem likely.

Adam

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