do other planets have radiation belts?

[Bill Thompson]

The Van Allen radiation belts exist because the Earth's magnetic field traps the solar wind. I wonder of other planets in our solar system share such a feature. The only reason I am thinking about this is its impact in the likelihood of finding ETI on extra-solar planets.

[Bob B.]

Jupiter for sure has a magnetic field that traps high-energy particles. I'm not sure about the other planets.

[Al Johnston]

Isn't Saturn's magnetic field linked to the spoke patterns that sometimes appear in the rings?

[Bill Thompson]

I recall that the findings from the Viking mission were disappointing in the sense that they determined that Mars is too bombarded by radiation for life. I wonder what has been discovered about Venus. I know because of other environmental issues there is no life there. But I wonder if it has this sort of radiation belt around it.

[Bob B.]

Venus has practically no magnetic field, thus no radiation belt.

VENUS: MAGNETIC FIELD AND MAGNETOSPHERE
J. G. LUHMANN AND C. T. RUSSELL

[sts60]

Of course, Venus has other issues. That deep-sea atmosphere, lead-melting temperatures, and sulfuric acid rain, for example. Kinda reminds me of summer in Houston.

[Bill Thompson]

Thanks for the interesting link. I believe this information contributes to thinking that life might be uncommon in the galaxy. Life on Earth seems lucky.

[snakeriverrufus]

billthompson said:

Thanks for the interesting link. I believe this information contributes to thinking that life might be uncommon in the galaxy. Life on Earth seems lucky.

Well perhaps, but remember there are 70 quintillion stars in the galaxy- lots of opportunity

[Bill Thompson]

snakeriverrufus said:

billthompson said:

Thanks for the interesting link. I believe this information contributes to thinking that life might be uncommon in the galaxy. Life on Earth seems lucky.

Well perhaps, but remember there are 70 quintillion stars in the galaxy- lots of opportunity

Sounds like the number of stars in the Universe instead of the galaxy. Are you sure? That is 70 thousand trillion? That seems like a mistake or maybe you are joking.

www.seds.org/messier/more/mw.html says 200 billion to 400 billion
imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980202g.html says 100 billion.

I think if we had 70 quintillion stars ( something like another galaxy of stars for each star in our galaxy) in the Milky Way, the aliens would be walking down the street right now and all our scientist would be out of a job because there would be better beings to ask questions to.

But the reason why I bring up this magnetic field questions is to ask if the ideas in Scientific American 2001 article about Life in a Hostile Universe has valid basis. If the metal content in other star systems can be determined, maybe the outlook looks grim.