Terroform Mars?

[Ags]

I read a book a long time ago that proposed a relatively simple way to terraform Mars. It involved the release of CFCs in the Martian atmosphere. Industrial, but achievable, quantities would be needed. Aside from being ozone-killers (bad) CFCs are also one of the strongest greenhouse gasses. The theory was that the CFCs would nudge up the temperature enough to liberate more frozen CO2, which would raise temperatures further, releasing more CO2... Water would start to thaw and enter the atmosphere too.

The air would not be breathable but the planetary temperature would be a lot more friendly. Maybe the air would be thick enough to support some surface plant life - simple mosses and such like. Although I have no idea where the nitrogen for the plants would come from - Mars lost all its nitrogen billions of years ago.

We would have to, in the longer term, create an artificial planetary magnetic field to stop the remaining water from being eaten away by the solar wind. I imaging a global network of superconducting power lines creating a bare-minimum magnetic field.

So, should we do it? Lets say we could turn Mars into a cold mossy paradise, with colonists living in bubble cities, should we do that? What if there are still remnants of indigenous martian life in the subsoil - would it be wrong to destroy that life if in the process we increase the total biomass on the planet by a factor of a thousand?

Imagine the seeing on Mars, with a thin atmosphere and Atacama-like moisture levels!

[Stephen]

Kim Stanley Robinson - Mars Trilogy.

and to answer the question, yes - categorically we should. Sooner or later we have to leave home, why not start with the closest available place

[lw24]

I watched a program on this recently. Apparently, martian soil releases CO2 when water is poured onto it, so that's another way in which an atmosphere could begin to form.

Then you would have to 'plant' simple life forms, such as moss (as mentioned in the OP), which would respirate. This would help make the planet slightly more breathable. Then you would have to 'plant' slightly more advanced life forms, such as small shrubs, and small bushes. The cycle continues until you eventually plant forests, and the planet becomes habitable for humans, and other animals.

CFCs could also be used to speed up the process of creating an atmosphere, and this would obviously also help warm up the planet.

It's a fairly interesting concept.

Clear Skies

Luke

[lukebl]

I understood that the problem with the Martian atmosphere is that it gets ripped away by the solar wind, largely due to the lack of a protective magnetic field and its low gravity. This would surely be an obstacle to rebuilding an atmosphere?

[Steve 1962]

How about learning to walk before we can run by "terraforming" the earth back to a sustainable condition before we get too ambitious with another planet??

[Datapoint2]

Am currently reading the first book in the mars trilogy, its very good so far. However as i understand it in reality, radiation in space is pretty much making even a manned mission to mars a deal killer at the moment and the forseeable future, which i found very depressing to hear. Have to rely on the sci fi to keep the dream alive for the time being! If all problems were overcome though, of course we should do it! Ultimately if we dont find another rock to live on .....we're doomed!!!........well eventually

[Superewza]

I watched a program on this recently. Apparently, martian soil releases CO2 when water is poured onto it, so that's another way in which an atmosphere could begin to form.

Problem there being the fact that it would be incredibly difficult to get liquid water to pour on it in the first place