On the basis of the absence of energetic electrons (E(e) 45 kiloelectron volts) and protons (E(p) 320 kiloelectron volts) associated with Venus to within a radial distance of 10,150 kilometers from the center of the planet and using a physical similitude argument and the observational and theoretical knowledge of the magnetosphere of Earth, we conclude that the intrinsic magnetic dipole moment of Venus is almost certainly less than 0.01 and probably less than 0.001 of that of Earth. Corresponding upper limits on the magnetic field at the equatorial surface of Venus are about 350 and 35 x 10(-5) gauss, respectively.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.