Have we discussed this topic? Any new ideas from the old LIFE magazine issue?

Archives > www.exosci.com > Astronomy > Mars > Martian atmosphere was 'blown away'

Porfiry's post in particular which includes:
New evidence from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft supports a long-held suspicion that much of the Red Planet's atmosphere was simply blown away -- by the solar wind. That being the case, forget 'terraforming Mars' in the sense that eventually we'd have a new Eden. It's back to 'domed' survival.

Yes, Mars' ancient atmosphere probably was blown away by the sun. But this does not apply to an artificial atmosphere created by terraforming!

Here's why - time scale!

The solar wind will take much longer than human history (millions of years, probably!) to erode away a thick Martian atmosphere.

What is a realistic timescale for erosion of a thick Martian atmosphere? Has anybody really calculated this? If it takes a million years, it is irrelevant to humanity's agenda...

Hate to be a party poop, but how do your quickly create a 'thick Martian atmosphere'?

And without a magnetic field to deflect the solar wind, how long do you think it would take to 'blow away' even a thick atmosphere? We're just beginning to realize how strong the solar wind is.

I think you can create a strong magnetic field by dropping a few neuclear powered superconductive magnets. Whether it requires megawatts or terawatts, I do not know. Can somebody calculate the energy level required?

Hi kmguru,

That question can be rephrased as follows: "Does anybody want to spend the following 2 years in a dark isolated chamber, studying superconductive materials - magnets in particular -, mars geology and solar wind ?" ;).

It's an interesting subject, but I am afraid it is a bit too complex to make a rough estimate. But I surely don't want to discourage anyone from making one.

Bye!

Crisp