Could a force field be used to protect astronauts from the strong radiation in space?
By: Amit Oren, Israeli Astronomical Society
Opposite charges attract, like charges repel. This is the first law of electromagnetism and it is possible that someday it could save the lives of astronauts.
NASA's space exploration vision calls for a return to the Moon in preparation for longer journeys to Mars and beyond. But there is a potential problem: radiation. The space beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO - Low Earth Orbit) is bathed in strong radiation from the sun and from sources deep in the galaxy such as supernovae. Astronauts making their way to the Moon and Mars will be exposed to this radiation, increasing their chances of getting cancer and other diseases. Finding a good protector is important.
Supernovae produce dangerous radiation. The Cancer Nebula (M1) seen in the picture is the result of a supernova explosion in 1054 AD.
The most common way to deal with radiation is a physical barrier, like the thick concrete around a nuclear reactor. But it is not possible to build concrete spaceships (fascinatingly, it may be possible to build a lunar base from a concrete mixture of lunar dust and water, assuming water is found on the moon, but that is another matter) NASA scientists are investigating many radiation-blocking materials such as aluminum, advanced plastics and liquid hydrogen. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. These are all physical solutions. There is another option that is not physical but has great protective power: a force field.
Most of the dangerous radiation in space consists of charged particles: electrons and fast protons emitted from the Sun, and positively charged massive atomic nuclei from distant supernovae.
Identical charges repel. If so, why not protect astronauts by surrounding them with a high-intensity electric field that has the same charge as the incoming radiation, thus deflecting the radiation?
Many experts are skeptical and do not believe that electric fields will be able to protect astronauts. But Charles Buhler and John Lane, both scientists at ASRC Aerospace Corporation at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, believe it can be done. They received support from NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts, whose purpose is to fund research into original ideas, to research the possibility of electric shields for lunar bases.
Artist's impression of an electrostatic radiation shield, consisting of positively charged inner spheres and negatively charged outer spheres. The insulation grid is connected to the ground. Image courtesy of ASRC Aerospace.
"Using electric fields to deflect radiation was one of the first ideas in the XNUMXs, when scientists began looking at how to protect astronauts in space from radiation," says Boller. "However, the idea was soon dropped because it appeared that the high voltages and clumsy designs then thought necessary (eg, placing the astronauts inside two concentric metal spheres) would make such an electrical shield impractical."
Buller and Lane's approach is different. According to their idea, about six balls, inflatable and conductive, five meters wide will be placed above the lunar base. The balls will be charged to a very high electrostatic potential: 100 megavolts and even more. This voltage is very high because very little current will flow (the charge will rest without displacement inside the balls), and not much power will be required to preserve the charge.
The balls will be composed of a thin and strong fabric (Vectran, for example, which was used in the production of the landing balloons that softened the collision of the evaporating research vehicles [Mars Exploration Rovers] with the evaporating ground) and will be coated with a very thin layer of conductor, gold for example. The fabric balls can be folded for transport and inflated again by charging them with an electric charge; The identical electron charges in the gold layer repel each other and cause the sphere to expand outward.
This is how the current over the bases on the moon will change to the spherical structure as shown above. You can find more information on the subject and other ball structures in the analysis report on the principle of the electrostatic radiation shield for the lunar base (PDF document).
Placing the balls high above the base will reduce the danger of astronauts accidentally touching them. By carefully choosing the arrangement of the spheres, the scientists can increase their effectiveness in rejecting radiation while minimizing their impact on the astronauts and equipment on the ground. In some models, in fact, there is no electric field on the ground, thus reducing the potential health hazards caused by these strong electric fields.
Buller and Lane are still looking for the best arrangement: Part of the challenge is that radiation comes as both positively charged and negatively charged particles. The spheres must be arranged so that the electric field is negative at a place much higher above the base (to repel negative particles) and positive close to the ground (to repel positive particles). "We've already simulated three adaptations that might work," Buller says.
Mobile designs may even reach roving moon buggies that would provide protection for astronauts while they explore the terrain, Boller imagines.
How an electrostatic radiation shield could be deployed for lunar research vehicles. The inverted green cones indicate areas where the shield is partially irradiating. Image courtesy of ASRC Aerospace.
This sounds great, but there are many scientific and engineering problems that need to be solved. For example, skeptics point to the fact that in an electrostatic shield on the moon, a short circuit may easily be caused by moon dust, which itself is charged with ultraviolet radiation from the sun. A solar wind blowing on the shield can cause problems, too. The electrons and protons in the wind can be trapped in the maze of forces that build the shield, thus leading to strong and undirected currents right above the astronauts' heads.
The research is still in its infancy, Buller emphasizes. The effect of moon dust, solar wind and other problems are still being investigated. Perhaps another type of shield would work better, for example, a superconducting magnetic field. These wild ideas still need to clarify themselves.
But, who knows, maybe a day will come and astronauts on the moon and on Mars will work safely, protected by a simple principle of electromagnetism that even a child can understand.
For an article on NASA's scientific website
* The article was first published on July 8, 2005 on the old website
7 תגובות
The pictures are not loading. I would be happy to reproduce them and present them in the article.
The pictures are not loading. I would be happy to reproduce them and present them in the article.
Yay we used such a model in our project yayy XDDD
It is possible to use a simple magnet that will repel the ions of the radiation
Only the only problem is that when iron is used it will be magnetized to the past
Good luck to Sabdarmish Yehuda:
As long as there is no danger of reaching a cave or a shelter, one must not despair, and one must continue to look for other solutions.
I find it hard to believe that they would choose such a method, when there is a simpler option, which is to dig in or look for a cave or shelter. This kind of shelter will also provide protection against tiny meteorites that could harm people and valuable equipment.
Q This method of the charged balls is dangerous due to its radiation and may only have a place in space flights in the face of the danger of solar storms
Sabdarmish Yehuda
In the universe there is a wide variety of ionizing radiation - radioactive such as: alpha radiation and gamma radiation which cause a lot of ionization, and as such are energetic and dangerous, beta (β) radiation is also part of radioactive radiation; The fight against the types of radiation will develop through a process (research and experiment), and it is possible that research in this direction will also solve the problems of energy production such as: cold fusion, or transporting hydrogen in tanks, or other ideas; (sometimes solutions to existing problems are revealed, after dealing with a completely different type of problem), and until then (the worst is in the minority): there will be no escape from also starting the processes to solve the energy problems, first by rationing fuel for the private car (those with a private car driver's license who will exceed the quota budgeting, will pay more according to consumption), and later to develop vehicles that will utilize the potential energy segments (an idea on this topic has already been published before).
The many advantages of thinking in this direction will be reflected in high-quality cleaning of the atmosphere (among other things, the problem of the ozone layer), an equally important advantage; The human population will not suddenly find itself helpless in the face of dry gas stations.