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#1 2008-07-25 21:12:25
Mars Questions
I'm working on a couple of science fiction stories and I have some questions / doubts I'd like some feedback on.
First off - Terraforming Mars. I've read some information saying it's possible and other saying it isn't.
Terraforming Mars would entail two major interlaced changes: building up the atmosphere and keeping it warm. There are several theoretical ways to acomplish this, but I won't get into them here.
But, you would still have to deal with Mars's lack of Magnetosphere which will let in deadly radition and slowly "shear off" Mars's atmosphere, thining it out once more.
The only way I've heard of "restarting" a magnetosphere is from "The Core".
Next - It's theorized that Mars might have been very Earth-like in the past with ample flora and maybe even fauna.
Knowing that crude oil, natural gas and coal are the product of compression and heating of ancient organic materials over geological time, is it possible that there are large deposits of these resources deep under the martian surface?
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#2 2008-07-26 00:52:50
- nightsecho
- Wasted
- Registered: 2006-12-04
- Posts: 168
Re: Mars Questions
just watch total recall 
Last edited by nightsecho (2008-07-26 00:53:04)
looking at you with wide eyes from the darkness
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#3 2008-07-26 03:43:29
- Eric Storm
- Pub Owner
- From: New Port Richey, FL
- Registered: 2006-09-12
- Posts: 5758
- Website
Re: Mars Questions
Terraforming is possible, from what I know, but would take centuries to accomplish.
Clearly, despite Mars' weak-assed magnetic field, it's possible for it to keep an atmosphere. After all, Venus has one, and its magnetic field isn't very strong, either. But figuring out how to do that could be difficult.
As to the hydrocarbons... well, it appears that Mars had water at some point. I can't imagine any place that had water that didn't have life... and as you point out, dead life turns into hydrocarbons. So chances are that yes, there are hydrocarbons on Mars, someplace... IF we're right that there was once life there.
So, in sci-fi terms, there's no "Genesis Device" that will do it, unless you just want to say there is.
Just my $1.50 (Inflation...)
Eric
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#4 2008-07-26 08:05:30
- Neitherspace
- Completely Blotto
- From: Silver City
- Registered: 2006-12-03
- Posts: 575
Re: Mars Questions
Veritas wrote:
I'm working on a couple of science fiction stories and I have some questions / doubts I'd like some feedback on.
First off - Terraforming Mars. I've read some information saying it's possible and other saying it isn't.
Terraforming Mars would entail two major interlaced changes: building up the atmosphere and keeping it warm. There are several theoretical ways to acomplish this, but I won't get into them here.
But, you would still have to deal with Mars's lack of Magnetosphere which will let in deadly radition and slowly "shear off" Mars's atmosphere, thining it out once more.
The only way I've heard of "restarting" a magnetosphere is from "The Core".
Next - It's theorized that Mars might have been very Earth-like in the past with ample flora and maybe even fauna.
Knowing that crude oil, natural gas and coal are the product of compression and heating of ancient organic materials over geological time, is it possible that there are large deposits of these resources deep under the martian surface?
1 yes its possible one theory i heard how to do it would be to melt the icecaps and hope the gravity of mars keeps the released o2 from escaping from the atmosphere
2 i wonder if a em generator placed near the core might work to create an artifical magnetosphere (be a good potentail plot point)
3 its possible but HIGHLY improbable
"I figure that if you can't write decent dialogue for the devil, maybe you shouldn't be a writer."-Richard Kadrey
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