The creation of an artificial dense Martian atmosphere - A major obstacle to the terraforming of Mars

Details The creation of an artificial dense Martian atmosphere - A major obstacle to the terraforming of Mars The creation of an artificial dense Martian atmosphere - A major obstacle to the terraforming of Mars

Dec 1989

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989jbis...42..577f&link_type=abstract

British Interplanetary Society, Journal (ISSN 0007-084X), vol. 42, Dec. 1989, p. 577-582.

Computer Science

4

Atmospheric Composition, Atmospheric Density, Carbon Dioxide Concentration, Mars Atmosphere, Carbonates, Planetary Evolution, Solar System

Scientific paper

Previous outline proposals for terraforming Mars nearly all require, as a first step, the creation of a dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide, with a surface pressure of about 1 bar and with sufficient greenhouse effect to raise surface temperatures above 273 K. However, since it is now thought that the bulk of Mars' CO2 inventory lies either within carbonate rocks or has been lost from the planet in an early episode of impact erosion, this first step may be more difficult to achieve than commonly appreciated. If carbonate-bearing minerals are abundant within the Martian regolith, it would be necessary to devolatilize them to return their store of CO2 into the atmosphere. The most practical way to do this would be through the use of buried thermonuclear explosives. It is shown that at least ten million such explosives, in the multi-megaton range, buried at depths of hundreds of meters would be required. All materials required for their fabrication could be obtained from Martian resources. The most serious objection to such a scheme is that Mars is likely to be settled before terraforming becomes practical, thus ruling out highly energetic or intrusive engineering techniques.

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