Planetary process
Magnetospheric Shielding
The protection a planet's magnetic field gives its atmosphere by deflecting the solar wind around it. Earth's magnetosphere shields its air; Mars, having lost its global field billions of years ago, was left exposed to the stripping that thinned its atmosphere.
Worlds, layers & processes
Across comparative planetology
Knowledge connections
- Associated withAtmospheric Escape
- Associated withMagnetosphere
- Associated withEarth
- Associated withAtmospheric Escape
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.