for the beneficial effects of a magnetosphere shielding terrestrial civilization. We wouldn't necessarily have to be forerunners to achieve this.

well assuming our species experiences exponential growth in knowledge and technology, then this could be a matter of millennium. the focus is also not really on whether we do it or not. it's assuming we can.

i don't think so. after the fact, you have an entirely separate sustaining inhabitable planet. good until the death of the solar system.

the engineering hurdles are irrelevant. the fact that a certain amount of V would be sufficient, regardless of how, is the focus.

Well that no longer seems practical.

Well wow. That's a big weight off, I suppose is one way to look at it lol. Possibly still a good idea for Jovian moons being baked by Jupiter's radiation? But then again, any settlement on a Jovian ice moon will be completely enclosed to begin with, as terraforming is an impractical impossibility I assume.

So there is really no benefit after all? Except maybe radiation in a less dense atmosphere like ours?

Would it still occur if we were to change the atmosphere of Venus in order to live there? That's neat as well.

Would that much atmosphere being packed onto small Mars possibly create an issue where exponentially more of it is lost at x rate?

Really cool idea

Well there is also the radiation. Theoretically Mars with a magnetosphere would be able to support walking around in a t-shirt and jeans. Provided you have sufficient atmospheric pressure and composition. Otherwise we would have to live underground or in shielded habitats. It's not just the atmospheric loss, though if you did jumpstart the dynamo you would make atmospheric deterioration a non-issue for the next 2 billion years of inhabitants. Yeah, that doesn't really matter when it still takes 200 mil to deplete without one, but if civilized society were to collapse it would still be inhabitable.

I think it is half the opposite because all you would need for heating the core is a BIG nuke unless you did it electrically. It is however likely that it would take less energy to just top up the atmosphere than to move Ceres to guarantee the core would be functional.

I think that's honestly a giant leap that we may never accomplish. FLT may also be an impossibility.

mom can we have magnetic field?

no honey, we have a magnetic field at home

magnetic field at home:

Would you say it is the case for Venus? I would imagine the level of solar radiation is not remotely negligible at that distance. Especially if the atmosphere is converted to be breathable, and thus dramatically reduced in density.

I honestly think the better move for a permanent terraform would be Venus, and Mars would work well with a "temporary" terraform like you describe. Venus is the only planet with real potential to be a sister Earth. There are multiple processes theoretically possible that would convert its atmosphere to the right composition and lower the temperature, at an exponential rate. These methods in conjunction could completely change Venus in a matter of a few centuries. The biggest thing it seems would be to accelerate its rotation. Which is a lot more difficult for a type 1 civ than all the other tasks such as adding water and converting the atmosphere. The energy and technology required to exert a meaningful positive rotational force on the planet is well, astronomical. And you also have to consider that to turn on the geological magnetism you may need to divert a moon to Venus. But I think Mars could be great practice for these things on a planetary scale.

I thought the absence of a magnetosphere basically equates to the planet's surface being sterilized, and the UV rays from Sol fuck with essential compounds in a bad way. The dyson swarm being an obsolete concept is interesting, I appreciate knowing that now.

Well the biggest reason I can see, is that energy is finite in our solar system and artificial methods would take a lot. If we made some system to harness the sun's energy like a dyson swarm it could make it possible on a planetary scale, but it's a close margin otherwise with nuclear energy. You're right as far as everything else goes, an artificial field is more practical and less of an undertaking.

That is one of my more favorite possibilities, as it would require significantly less power draw than an artificial planetary shield from a satellite or superconducting belt. The drawbacks however, appear to be that it doesn't assist in atmospheric retention and is not a naturally perpetual process. Therefore prone to mechanical failure and requiring constant upkeep. But I think this will be the logical first step for magnetic field solutions over frontier colonies. Definitely very cool to think about.