Hellas Planetia, subpart of Mars, the deepest basin.

Void · 2017-01-15 11:40:26

While learning that a place like Hellas might have good mineral resources due to it's slow cooling, I ran into the link above, and I found it interesting enough to think Hellas should have it's own topic. It is almost a world of it's own, I feel, it might be as to Mars in general as Mars is to our Moon. Better chances of economic gain might occur there. I am not saying that Utopia Planetia or some other places should not have settlement, but I really think that Hellas should be looked into to see if some of the processes needed to sustain humans on Mars might work best there.

Quote:

Because of its latitude and great depth, it seems likely that there is an abundance of water ice under the surface in the Hellas Basin. Mossbaur spectra, which can detect the presence of hydrogen, suggest that, except for the poles, this may be one of the "wettest" places on the planet. It may possibly be the last place where liquid water ever existed on the surface of Mars. In mid summer, it is one of the "garden spots" of the whole planet, with atmospheric pressure of over 10 millibars, more than twice what it is at the mean planetary horizon. Since the vapor pressure of water is lower than 10 millibars if the temperature is less than 60 deg. F (16 deg. C)(4), this may be one of the few places on the planet where any water on the surface will not immediately boil away. The days are long and relatively warm, and the nights are fairly mild, considering how far north the Hellas Basin is located.

1) Radiation: Most likely one of the best places on Mars due to thicker atmospheric column.
2) Somewhat warmer than it otherwise might be at that latitude, due to the thicker atmospheric column.
3) If you were going to attempt to use an aircraft, hovercraft, ground effect plane, your chances of useful achievement would be better than average, and that could be important if you were having supplies delivered to the surface and needed to retrieve them.
4) If you were delivering supplies (Using a efficient robotic ballistic method (Not hohmann transfer)), you could more easily include a parachute method in Hellas.
5) We think that their are glaciers in some places in Hellas, but it is also likely according to this particular article and other supporting documentation that Hellas is wetter than any place on Mars, than the polar areas.
6) Quote:

In mid summer, it is one of the "garden spots" of the whole planet, with atmospheric pressure of over 10 millibars, more than twice what it is at the mean planetary horizon. Since the vapor pressure of water is lower than 10 millibars if the temperature is less than 60 deg. F (16 deg. C)(4), this may be one of the few places on the planet where any water on the surface will not immediately boil away.

So the above suggests that this could be the most Earth like surface environment on Mars.

I am currently turning away from solar lit bioprocesses (Just for a bit), but if one were to have one this would be an easier place to have it.

And imagine if terraforming evaporated enough CO2 from the polar ice caps to bring the average air pressure on Mars up to 11 mb, what would it be in the bottom of Hellas Planetia?

It would be > 22 mb, because as the atmosphere compresses with a higher pressure it applies more pressure per unit of altitude drop.

So how about a relatively early modified Martian environment that has a pressure from 22 mb to ~30??? mb???

In such conditions, snow is more likely. Warmer temperatures would happen. Melt water streams might be possible. If so then "Dry Valley Lakes"???

Quote:

It may possibly be the last place where liquid water ever existed on the surface of Mars.

So, I wonder. It is at mid latitudes. Even if the polar ice deposit's migrated from poles to equator, is it possible that buried deep down could be a remnant of a frozen sea? A time capsule?

If their is deep ground ice deposits, then drilling might reveal that.

Last edited by Void (2017-01-15 12:12:35)

SpaceNut · 2017-01-15 19:51:56

Speaking of remnant I recall that radiation is also deflected by a strong magnetic field that still exists in places....

Here is the altitude map which you talk of for the column of atmosphere

SpaceNut · 2017-01-15 20:17:14

The next thing about mars is that it does have nuclear materials on it so if we want real power levels but we are not able to deliver them to mars then maybe send some equipment that will allow for it to be created insitu.

EVIDENCE FOR A LARGE, NATURAL, PALEO-NUCLEAR REACTOR ON MARS

ANALYSIS OF URANIUM AND THORIUM LINES IN MARS ODYSSEY GAMMA SPECTRA AND REFINED MAPPING OF ATMOSPHERIC RADON

Map of Martian Thorium at Mid-Latitudes

Water concetration

elderflower · 2017-01-16 05:35:58

Hellas basin, having so much more atmosphere over it, will have a much more favourable radiation environment. I suspect that this is the area most likely to have surviving life forms (if any survive on Mars at all), so only totally sterilized robots will be allowed there until this possibility has been discounted.
I did some sums on helicopter lift in Mars atmosphere and concluded that it was just about possible (I want to lift a couple of people, kit and life support) at the lowest point, but you would have no margins and very little fuel. If you can double the density of the atmosphere it will be practical to make one work in Hellas.

Void · 2017-01-16 09:12:15

You have mentioned some real things that have to be considered.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellas_Planitia

Careful thinking and time perhaps are better than rash conversation.

But I will make a comparison to "Utopia Planetia", which is also in a depression, not as pronounced. It's pressure might reach 9 mb, I think. And lots of reason to think a very large frozen water deposit from ancient snowfalls.

Will this by the same logic for Hellas Planetia be forbidden to settlers in the same way?
It seems like it would be.

Not picking on you elderflower, you are the messenger, just giving us radar readings of what the barriers to achievements are.

I of course am very unhappy about how our nation the USA was poised to go to the Moon, and then we were diverted to Mars, which it appears was a roach motel for the humans who hoped to give humanity a chance at a outer space purpose.

Instead, we were given an improper diversion, hardware that can't do it, and a biological roach motel for spacefolk.

So that some political machine could harvest pork, and put our imaginations in chains.

Last edited by Void (2017-01-16 09:23:01)

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#1 2017-01-15 11:40:26

Hellas Planetia, subpart of Mars, the deepest basin.

#2 2017-01-15 19:51:56

Re: Hellas Planetia, subpart of Mars, the deepest basin.

#3 2017-01-15 20:17:14

Re: Hellas Planetia, subpart of Mars, the deepest basin.

#4 2017-01-16 05:35:58

Re: Hellas Planetia, subpart of Mars, the deepest basin.

#5 2017-01-16 09:12:15

Re: Hellas Planetia, subpart of Mars, the deepest basin.

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