On Mars, it’s too cold for liquid water to flow on the surface. But researchers have an idea that could change that. One that could raise the temperature of the Red Planet by about ten degrees and make it habitable for a few microbes.
On Earth, more and more geoengineers are looking for ways to modernize our lives. AtmosphereAtmosphere To confront Global warmingGlobal warming Caused by our greenhouse gas emissions. On Mars, the problem is quite different. For example, it’s not hot enough for liquid water to flow on the surface. So scientists have long been thinking — and some science fiction writers before them, too — about “terraforming” the Red Planet. Understand, transforming it to make it look like Earth.
Ideas have been put forward. Follower TilesTiles to FreezeFreeze Transparent and that would trap heat, for example. Often, the ideas are too expensive and complicated to implement. So a team from the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Central Florida (USA) wanted to try a new approach, not exactly aimed at terraforming Mars. To begin with. But at least at raising the temperature of its atmosphere.
On Mars, a few more degrees would change everything.
In the magazine Science advancesThe researchers explain how we could warm the Red Planet by more than 10 degrees Celsius—to levels suitable for at least microbial life—in a way they estimate is 5,000 times more efficient than current proposals previously formulated. Especially since the method relies on resources that are widely available on the site.
Let’s first remember that the average temperature on Mars is about -65 degrees Celsius. So, to those who think that we can – as we did on Earth – simply emit Greenhouse gasesGreenhouse gases Into the Red Planet’s atmosphere to warm it, researchers answer that to do so we would have to bring back huge amounts of fossil fuels that Mars lacks, cruelly in this case.
Use the resources on Mars
On the other hand, Martian soil is rich in iron. It even gives it its color and nickname. So researchers wondered if they could find a way to harness this iron to raise the temperature. In principle, iron particles scattered throughout the atmosphere tend to have the opposite effect. But when these particles form into nanometer-sized rods, they start trapping heat and scattering light. a lighta light to sunsun Towards the surface. A way to enhance global warming. It also seems to work with another element that Martian soil is rich in:AluminumAluminum.
The way light interacts with objects WavelengthWavelength Less impressive. More importantly, engineering nanoparticles can lead to optical effects far beyond what is traditionally expected from such small particles.“It is a very interesting finding,” explains Ansari Mohseni, co-author of the work, in a Press Release from the University of Chicago.
Researchers realize this. “It would still take millions of tons of these particles to warm the planet.”. Sure. But it remains. “5,000 times less than was necessary in previous proposals to warm Mars.”
Climate feedbacks are still unknown.
In practice, it would be a matter of releasing iron particles into the Martian atmosphere at a rate of 30 liters per second. The effect would start to show in just a few months. But don’t stop. Otherwise, its atmosphere would return to its normal temperature in a few years.
However, researchers stress that they know almost nothing about the consequences of such injection of particles into the Martian atmosphere. speedspeed Which iron dust will escape from. About the possibility of starting rain on the planet. ” the RatingsRatings It is really difficult to design climates accurately.Edwin Kite, associate professor of geophysical sciences, warns.To do something like this, we’ll need more data, and we’ll have to move forward slowly and somehow. Reverse itReverse it To ensure that the effects work as intended. » Advice some geological engineers might be inspired to follow before considering getting involved climateclimate…from our land!
