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"You can turn Mars into a planet similar to Earth." Elon Musk said a few years ago to Stephen Colbert, the host of the evening, that he was considering colonizing the red planet . After saying that there was a quick and slow way to do it, and that we were wondering what the fast track was, the Tesla and SpaceX leader replied, "The quick way is to dump thermonuclear weapons on the poles. "
of this project and others aimed at "terraforming" Mars is to release carbon dioxide and water vapor in the Martian atmosphere, and then wait for the effect resulting greenhouse warms the water sufficiently to maintain it in its liquid form. Shading the polar caps of the planet would be a way to release these gases.
However, the plan would not work, according to the authors of a study commissioned by NASA published Monday in the journal Nature . 1965-19004] In this article, Bruce Jakosky of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Christopher Edwards of Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, pointed out that Mars simply does not have enough carbon dioxide for make the plan viable.
based on Mars observations over the past two decades, taking into account data on carbon minerals and carbon dioxide levels in the polar ice of the planet.
"Our results suggest that there is not enough CO2 on Mars to provide significant greenhouse warming was the gas to put in the atmosphere; in addition, most of the CO2 gas is not accessible and can not be easily mobilized.As a result, terraforming Mars is not possible using current technology, "Jakosky said in a statement.
Scientists have noted that there is a lot of water vapor locked in the Martian polar ice, which could be released by to absorb more solar radiation "- or, yes Elon, through explosions – but there is just enough carbon dioxide to double the Martian atmospheric pressure to only 1.2% of the Earth.
Martian soil heating could add 4% to the pressure, while a little more could come from unlocking carbon in mineral deposits, but even then, on the basis of the evidence we have today, we would be unable to get close to the atmospheric conditions necessary to prevent CO2 and steam from being released. Unblocked water is spreading in space.
What about the reorientation of comets and asteroids? Mars (what could go wrong?) to help the effort? Even that would not work, noted the author s, noting that "thousands of people would be needed".
In short, given current and predictable technology, any colonization of Mars will require vital support rather than a pleasant atmosphere.
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