Insights into Mars’s magnetic history from meteorite paleomagnetism and impact basin magnetism

Mars’s early magnetic dynamo may have had a significant influence on the planet’s climatic evolution and habitability, with its termination potentially triggering the shift to Mars’s present cold and dry conditions. Generation of the dynamo in Mars’s core also connects the magnetic field’s strength and longevity to otherwise-obscured properties of the planet’s deep interior. Despite these connections to Mars’s climate and interior, the dynamo’s strength, stability, and duration remain uncertain. In this talk, I will discuss how pairing paleomagnetic constraints from meteorites with modeling of magnetization acquisition in Martian impact basins has improved our understanding of Mars’s magnetic history, with significant implications for the planet's interior and climate.

Speaker: Sarah Steele, UC Santa Cruz

Room 350/372

Attend in person or watch online (See weblink)