<p>It depends on what gases one wants the atmosphere to contain. Mars has a lower gravitational acceleration than Earth, mainly due to is smaller size. This lower level of gravity, combined with the smaller size reduces the escape velocity for Mars, compared to Earth.</p>
<p>Gases with smaller molecular weights, such as hydrogen H<sub>2</sub> and helium He (with molecular weights of 2 and 4 respectively), will <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_escape" rel="nofollow noreferrer">escape</a> anyway because they will more easily attain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_velocity" rel="nofollow noreferrer">escape velocity</a>, with or without the protection of a magnetosphere.</p>
<p>Gases with heavier <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_atomic_weight" rel="nofollow noreferrer">molecular weights</a> such as oxygen O<sub>2</sub> (32), carbon dioxide CO<sub>2</sub> (44) and nitrogen N<sub>2</sub> (28) would receive some assistance from a magnetosphere that reduced atmospheric erosion from cosmic radiation.</p>
<p>Read:</p>
<p><em><a href="https://geosci.uchicago.edu/%7Ekite/doc/Catling2009.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The escape of planetary atmospheres</a></em> and <a href="https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/615311/what-is-this-atmospheric-escape-chart-actually-showing">What is this atmospheric escape chart actually showing?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-04T05:31:00.330Z
2023-06-04T05:31:00.330Z
Fred
<p>Since Mars core does not function like Earths does, would a planetary core &quot;kick-starting and maintaining&quot; device be needed in order to produce a magnetosphere required to preserve the oxygen needed for life?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-04T04:15:01.753Z
this question does not show any researc effort.
trond hansen
<atmosphere><core><mars><oxygen><magnetosphere>
Terraforming and maintaining a habitable atmosphere on Mars
Bishop Switchfoot Keef Swet
# Terraforming and maintaining a habitable atmosphere on Mars

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-04)

Since Mars core does not function like Earths does, would a planetary core "kick-starting and maintaining" device be needed in order to produce a magnetosphere required to preserve the oxygen needed for life?

**Tags:** atmosphere, core, mars, oxygen, magnetosphere

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: this question does not show any researc effort.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-06-04. Score: 2

It depends on what gases one wants the atmosphere to contain. Mars has a lower gravitational acceleration than Earth, mainly due to is smaller size. This lower level of gravity, combined with the smaller size reduces the escape velocity for Mars, compared to Earth.

Gases with smaller molecular weights, such as hydrogen H2 and helium He (with molecular weights of 2 and 4 respectively), will [escape](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_escape) anyway because they will more easily attain [escape velocity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_velocity), with or without the protection of a magnetosphere.

Gases with heavier [molecular weights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_atomic_weight) such as oxygen O2 (32), carbon dioxide CO2 (44) and nitrogen N2 (28) would receive some assistance from a magnetosphere that reduced atmospheric erosion from cosmic radiation.

Read:

*[The escape of planetary atmospheres](https://geosci.uchicago.edu/%7Ekite/doc/Catling2009.pdf)* and [What is this atmospheric escape chart actually showing?](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/615311/what-is-this-atmospheric-escape-chart-actually-showing)


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