To build long-term colonies on Mars, it is necessary to change the conditions of the planet, as this planet is a highly inhospitable and unsuitable place to live. One of the main problems is the low temperature, which averages -64°C. Therefore, to make Mars habitable, we need to increase its average temperature. Scientists have found a way to do this 5,000 times more efficiently than previous strategies.
A team led by engineer Samaneh Ansari of Northwestern University in the US proposes to gradually heat Mars by releasing microscopic metal shavings into the atmosphere, which would create and maintain a greenhouse effect. According to geophysicist Edwin Kite, the project would require millions of tons of metal. But even that amount is very small compared to previous proposals.
The greenhouse effect is the most effective method of creating comfortable temperature conditions on the planet. Earlier it was proposed to use greenhouse gases. But Mars doesn’t have many of the ingredients needed to do this. However, the surface soil of Mars is rich in metallic minerals such as aluminum and iron, which could be used to create a greenhouse effect.
Slow terraforming process
Ansari and her colleagues modeled the use of metal dust to trap solar heat. They calculated that if the metal nanorods were released at a rate of 30 liters/second, over time they would melt the surface ice and increase the temperature and pressure in the atmosphere, allowing conditions for photosynthetic organisms to survive. However, this process will take several decades. Also, it will not make Mars habitable for humans because there will not be enough oxygen in the atmosphere. However, creating the conditions for microbes capable of producing oxygen would be an important step toward terraforming the planet.
There are also problems that need to be solved. It is not known how long metal dust will remain in the atmosphere of Mars. It is also possible for dust to attract water particles, resulting in nanoparticles falling as rain. This issue requires further research.
But this discovery brings us closer to the dream of sustainable life on Mars, and could be an important step in that direction.
According to sciencealert.com
