Terraforming Earth

Void · 2025-04-15 19:07:19

So, looking at this again:

Far better though, perhaps would be to work with fresh water on a humid seacoast.
OK, this would be a round canal as a collector:
I am imagining that if you were putting slush of water ice into the canal under the Shade Balls, you might be able to push the slush and Shade Balls around the circle to help distribution of the Slush.
I have been thinking of the potential value of this structure on Mars.
I could serve as an air generator, and distillation, and Precision Fermentation device.
In the process of distilling water, the waste heat could go into the canal along with Hydrogen.
Oxygen could be handled separately.

A circular structure is not mandated. It could be of a polygon. Perhaps a Square, or Serpentine.

In the age of animated machines, complex heliostats would be able tilt light to appropriate spots on the covering roof for the solar cells. The roof could be "Smart", and say that it wants more, or less.

Solar Panels will not want to be overheated, but kept cool, but may handle more light if not abused with too much heat.

Robots that work as Heliostat directors during daylight might be able to do other tasks at night.

This should have value on Earth, Mars, and maybe other worlds.

Ending Pending

Void · 2025-04-16 10:24:56

In the previous post I mentioned heliostats to assist solar panels.

I do not think they have to be very powerful as solar concentrators. Perhaps they can have a active flex mirror, that can go slightly convex or concave.

I also think that since they would be robots, they may have the ability to protect themselves from bad weather, such as wind, Hail, or Dust.

With humanoid robots nearing stronger utility this is not as silly as it may seem.

It is also not completely wrong to think that solar panels might have some form of active protective animation.

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (2025-04-16 10:25:55)

Void · 2025-05-06 14:38:33

Well, it appears that the Earth has greater than advertised coping mechanisms for CO2.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … r-AA1EhmfI Quote:

Worldwide increase in plant CO2 capture signals major climate shift
Story by Joshua Shavit • 1h •
5 min read

Quote:

Plants play a huge role in shaping Earth’s climate. Through photosynthesis, they pull carbon dioxide (CO₂) out of the air. This massive exchange—called gross primary production (GPP)—is the largest carbon movement on the planet. GPP fuels the land carbon cycle and helps balance the atmosphere. But for years, scientists haven’t been able to pin down just how much carbon plants take in, or where and when they do it.
For decades, the global estimate for GPP hovered around 120 petagrams of carbon per year. That number, based mostly on satellite data and indirect modeling, became the standard. But a fresh look at the numbers reveals that plants may actually absorb far more carbon—up to 157 petagrams each year. That’s a leap of 31%, shaking up long-held views on how the planet breathes.
The revised estimate appeared in Nature and carries big weight. If plants soak up more carbon than we thought, they may offer more help in slowing climate change. It also changes the math in models that predict how Earth’s climate will shift in the coming decades. These models rely on solid GPP numbers to track carbon sinks and gauge how fast greenhouse gases pile up.

And also,

It is not a surprise then that the Sahara may be greening, as rising CO2 and the greater amount of water vapor cycling, should make it greener.

So, it may be that we are just lucky. Good!

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (2025-05-06 14:42:45)

Void · Today 12:30:36

OK, the Saton Sea again: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technol … i-AA1R4V1s Quote:

Protevs: The Floating Solar Power Revolution Boosting Efficiency by 40%

OK, first off, salt corrodes, but it also helps things to float.

https://www.startupselfie.net/2023/10/0 … -tracking/
Quote:

The Protevs floating solar power system, developed by SolarisFloat, is a revolutionary innovation that combines floating solar panels with sun-tracking technology. This system, currently installed in Oostvoorne Meer, Netherlands, features 180 modules with dual-axis tracking, allowing the panels to adjust their elevation from 0° to 45°. The PROTEVS+ installation boasts a total installed capacity of 73 kWp with 370 wp modules, achieving an energy production boost of up to 40%. Additionally, water-cooled air enhances solar panel efficiency, resulting in up to 15% increased production. The PROTEVS Single360 variant operates on a single axis and houses 360 PV modules, offering an impressive installed capacity of 147 kWp for 410 W panels, with energy production increased by up to 30%. These innovative solutions are modular, detachable, and scalable, making them suitable for various project needs and environmental considerations

For the "Greens". Suppose you made floats out of recycle plastics. Plastics are fairly stable in salt water, I read, and anyway the Salton Sea is toxic now.

But you might be able to improve the lake by reducing evaporation. These floating islands would do that and generate power.

In actuality, if the environment were not too obnoxious, you could have house boats alongside of these, as they do provide power, and it might be hoped to revive the waters anyway.

If you still the waves with this, then it is possible that you could cause a layer of fresher water to float on top of the more salty bottom water.

But you will have to spank the farmers, if they want to take the extra water conserved.

As it happens it made sense to make the aqueduct to take Colorado River water in the last century. But now, it is kind of stupid to do dry land farming with the river water. If you can expand the lake and put solar power on top of it, you probably could do a bit of aquiculture, as not all the light would be absorbed by the solar panels.

A possibly sensible thing to do would be to distill fresh water from the bine, then use it. (Not for dry land farming!), and then partially improve the water and release into to float on top of the brine of the lake. Microbes in the water would likely finish improving the water.
But you would not want too many nutrients in the water.

I would be curios if salt could be encapsulated as a solid into plastic containers and placed on the bottom of the lake.

As I have said before, I think that a more sensible solution long term would be to dig a canal though Mexico and conduct sea water into the lake generating electricity from turbines, then pumping water back out when the solar energy was productive.

A sort of artificial tide for the lake. But you would not want to pump brine that is too salty out to the gulf of California.

Why would Mexico want this? Well, a base load power supply. Also, perhaps a canal system could even carry freight, such as solid salt to dump out in the pacific at some point.

Quite a lot of people of Mexican descent live in the SW USA anyway, so maybe it is not a wrong plan for them.

Ending Pending

Last edited by Void (Today 13:06:33)

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#76 2025-04-15 19:07:19

Re: Terraforming Earth

#77 2025-04-16 10:24:56

Re: Terraforming Earth

#78 2025-05-06 14:38:33

Re: Terraforming Earth

#79 Today 12:30:36

Re: Terraforming Earth

Board footer