What specific molecular damage results from passing through a region where the field gradient near a magnetar is active?
Answer
The field gradient is sufficient to tear apart complex molecules like DNA and proteins.
The field gradient refers to the rate at which the magnetic field strength changes over a short distance. Before an object reaches the region where the static field is strong enough to perfectly align every atom, it will pass through a zone where this gradient is maximized. In this region, the differential force exerted on different parts of a complex molecule—like DNA or proteins—is tremendous. This gradient effectively pulls and stretches these complex structures until they break apart at the molecular level, leading to irreversible disintegration of biological and complex material structures.
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