Mars terraforming
Contents
Colonization plans
Wikipedia
The terraforming of Mars is the hypothetical process by which Mars' climate and surface would be deliberately changed to make large areas of the environment hospitable to humans, thus making the colonization of Mars safer and sustainable (see Planetary engineering). There are several proposed terraforming concepts, some of which present prohibitive economic and natural resource costs, and others that may be achievable with foreseeable technology.
Future population growth, demand for resources, and an alternate solution to the Doomsday argument may require human colonization of bodies other than Earth, such as Mars, the Moon, and other objects. Space colonization will facilitate harvesting the Solar System's energy and material resources. In many respects, Mars is the most Earth-like of all the other planets in the Solar System. It is thought that Mars had a more Earth-like environment early in its history, with a thicker atmosphere and abundant water that was lost over the course of hundreds of millions of years. Given the foundations of similarity and proximity, Mars would make one of the most plausible terraforming targets in the Solar System.
Ethical considerations of terraforming include the potential displacement or destruction of indigenous life, even if microbial, if such life exists.
Critical ingredients for growing plants
Physical
Temperature
Water availability
Large amounts of water ice exist below the Martian surface, as well as on the surface at the poles, where it is mixed with dry ice, frozen CO2. Significant amounts of water are located at the south pole of Mars, which, if melted, would correspond to a planetwide ocean 11 meters deep.[15] Frozen carbon dioxide (CO2) at the poles sublimes into the atmosphere during the Martian summers, and small amounts of water residue are left behind, which fast winds sweep off the poles at speeds approaching 400 km/h (250 mph).[citation needed] This seasonal occurrence transports large amounts of dust and water vapor into the atmosphere, forming Earth-like clouds.[16]
Air pressure
Mars's CO2 atmosphere has about 1% the pressure of the Earth's at sea level. It is estimated that there is sufficient CO2 ice in the regolith and the south polar cap to form a 30 to 60 kPa atmosphere if it is released by planetary warming.[1] The reappearance of liquid water on the Martian surface would add to the warming effects and atmospheric density,[1] but the lower gravity of Mars requires 2.6 times Earth's column airmass to obtain the optimum 100 kPa pressure at the surface.[9] Additional volatiles to increase the atmosphere's density must be supplied from an external source, such as redirecting several massive asteroids containing ammonia (NH3) as a source of nitrogen.[1]
There is presently enough carbon dioxide (CO2) as dry ice in the Martian south pole and absorbed by regolith (soil) on Mars that, if sublimated to gas by a climate warming of only a few degrees, would increase the atmospheric pressure to 30 kilopascals (0.30 atm),[19][not in citation given] comparable to the altitude of the peak of Mount Everest, where the atmospheric pressure is 33.7 kilopascals (0.333 atm). Although this would not be breathable by humans, it is above the Armstrong limit and would eliminate the present need for pressure suits.[citation needed] Phytoplankton can also convert dissolved CO2 into oxygen.
- Can GM weeds be used to pressurize the planet in a matter of years?
- Can we grow rapidly growing plants in a desert?
Wind
Radiation
Mars lacks a magnetosphere, which poses challenges for mitigating solar radiation and retaining atmosphere. It is thought that the localized fields detected on Mars are remnants of a magnetosphere that collapsed early in its history.
However, with a growing atmosphere, the radiation penetration should decrease.
Gravity
The surface gravity on Mars is 38% of that on Earth. Plants may grow taller, however, that may also affect transport through xylem and phloem. How will hot temperatures affect water loss?
Chemical
The soil and atmosphere of Mars contain many of the main elements crucial to life, including sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-092#1
Scientists identified sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon -- some of the key chemical ingredients for life -- in the powder Curiosity drilled out of a sedimentary rock near an ancient stream bed in Gale Crater on the Red Planet last month.
NASA website: In “The Martian,” Mark Watney uses the Martian soil to grow potatoes in the controlled environment of the “Hab.” In reality, the soil on Mars actually does have the nutrients plants would need to survive on Mars! There may not be the right amount of nutrients depending on where astronauts land on the Red Planet, so fertilizers may need to be added to the soil. The perchlorates in the soil would be leached out and separated from the water.
Carbon dioxide
Oxygen
Nitrates
Other minerals
Strategies
- Identify how different drought tolerant plants do it. Transfer those traits to crop plants.
- Use drought tolerant, resource-use efficient weeds to colonize an area
