Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

Oldfart1939 · 2017-04-01 12:34:48

Some new results have been published from the MAVEN satellite studies about Mars' atmosphere--pas and present. The conclusions reached in this paper are --discomforting for those of us wanting to colonize Mars.

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missi … tists-say/

SpaceNut · 2017-04-01 15:04:36

Maven has been a good first step to identifing the loss rate to which man knows that some of that is due to the very weak gravity that mars has, that a lack of radiational protecting belts are all just factors for why we are where we are at for Mars' current conditions.

We have talked about what it would take to create a new megospher for mars and several methods to get it started. The containment of what mars atmosphere is in need of being slowed for loss and for making possible to contain any future build up of one to which man might create.

louis · 2017-04-01 16:22:44

A pipe dream? No way. The atmosphere would have been lost over millions of years. We can replace it from material on the Mars surface in thousands (definitely) but probably hundreds of years. In other words we can keep pace with the loss for as long as it takes before we come up with even better solutions (e.g. creating an artificial Mars magnetosphere).

Oldfart1939 wrote:

Some new results have been published from the MAVEN satellite studies about Mars' atmosphere--pas and present. The conclusions reached in this paper are --discomforting for those of us wanting to colonize Mars.
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missi … tists-say/

Oldfart1939 · 2017-04-01 16:37:11

My question for these researchers is: do they have any clues to the present intensity of Solar wind as opposed to that earlier in the Sun's lifetime?

SpaceNut · 2017-04-01 19:31:43

There is more than just a solar wind level from young sun to current to know and consider as the planet has not stayed where it was when it was born, the magnetic field strength has also deminished over time as well.

Starting in closer to the sun would be a higher level of wind on a young planet would still be devistating if the field strength was not intense.... Now if mars started farther out say somewhere near the asteriod belt even with the current magnetic field, mars would hold onto its atmosphere for a very long time as the effect of the solar wind drops with distance.

Maven has given us the current loss rate and some of the remant magnetic strengths and locations but thats about all we have.

I myself have wonder if mars did start in closer could it have been a moon for venus since venus has the retrograde rotation.. or was it part of the asteriod belt possible planetiod which got smacked early on in developement and form what we see as mars....and finally is mars the remains of what hit earth to form the moon leaving mars to slow down afterwards settling into its current orbit....

elderflower · 2017-04-02 04:02:50

I think Venus probably lost whatever rotation it started with due to solar tidal braking. It s retrograde rotation is very slow, but means that it keeps the same face directed towards the Earth/Moon whilst it passes between them and the Sun. I think this is probably maintained by tidal effects also.

JoyceLoxy · 2017-10-21 02:31:06

One thing to point out about Mars having a weak magnetic field and thus loosing its atmosphere.
That will take a looooong time.
Its not like the atmosphere will blow away in a week, or even in decades. Your talking something thousands or tens of thousands of years.
Which is probably going to be long enough to either refresh it, or come up with another solution or another planet

louis · 2017-10-21 03:30:01

Yes my point earlier in the thread. In any case, once you have the terraforming infrastructure in place - whatever it be (eg. solar power satellites beaming down energy, solar reflectors, warming gas factories on the surface, dark powders on the poles) - it's not as though that is not going to have a continuing build up effect on the atmosphere...it will continue to release gases.

JoyceLoxy wrote:

One thing to point out about Mars having a weak magnetic field and thus loosing its atmosphere.
That will take a looooong time.
Its not like the atmosphere will blow away in a week, or even in decades. Your talking something thousands or tens of thousands of years.
Which is probably going to be long enough to either refresh it, or come up with another solution or another planet

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#1 2017-04-01 12:34:48

Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#2 2017-04-01 15:04:36

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#3 2017-04-01 16:22:44

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#4 2017-04-01 16:37:11

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#5 2017-04-01 19:31:43

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#6 2017-04-02 04:02:50

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#7 2017-10-21 02:31:06

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

#8 2017-10-21 03:30:01

Re: Is Terraforming Mars a Pipe Dream?

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