<p>There is no net internal magnetic field to perturb, so how could one induce currents?</p>

<p>The effect arises on Earth because some transient event (e.g., <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection" rel="nofollow noreferrer">coronal mass ejection</a> or CME) hits Earth's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetosphere" rel="nofollow noreferrer">magnetosphere</a> and causes a sudden $\tfrac{dB}{dt}$ which, from Faraday's law, results in induced electric fields.  These induced electric fields then drive currents in things like power grids (typically long-distance wires running east-west at high latitudes), oil pipelines, etc.</p>

<p>The only changing magnetic field would be that of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_wind" rel="nofollow noreferrer">solar wind</a> and the small, localized <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_anomaly" rel="nofollow noreferrer">magnetic anomalies</a> on the surface of Mars.  However, these fields are incredibly small so the $\tfrac{dB}{dt}$ would be even smaller.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-17T16:05:14.933Z
2017-01-17T16:05:14.933Z
honeste_vivere
<p>Since Mars is only weakly magnetized does Mars not suffer from  ground induced currents or are they far worse than on Earth?</p>

<mars><magnetic-field><solar-storm>
Ground Induced Currents on Mars
user129818
# Ground Induced Currents on Mars

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-11)

Since Mars is only weakly magnetized does Mars not suffer from ground induced currents or are they far worse than on Earth?

**Tags:** mars, magnetic-field, solar-storm


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-01-17. Score: 1

There is no net internal magnetic field to perturb, so how could one induce currents?

The effect arises on Earth because some transient event (e.g., [coronal mass ejection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection) or CME) hits Earth's [magnetosphere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetosphere) and causes a sudden $\tfrac{dB}{dt}$ which, from Faraday's law, results in induced electric fields. These induced electric fields then drive currents in things like power grids (typically long-distance wires running east-west at high latitudes), oil pipelines, etc.

The only changing magnetic field would be that of the [solar wind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_wind) and the small, localized [magnetic anomalies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_anomaly) on the surface of Mars. However, these fields are incredibly small so the $\tfrac{dB}{dt}$ would be even smaller.


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