/sci/ - Science & Math

>>4020072
>Snowball Mars
I can dig it.

>Are we sure that mars has the capability of sustaining a 350 mBar atmosphere without continuously needing to pump CO2 into the planet?
We're not sure of that at all, even with an artificial magnetic field we'd likely still have to generate extra gas as a constant low-level process due to Mars being volcanically dead. That is unless we maneuver Ceres into orbit around Mars to add some tidal flexing in the far, far future.

>The planet's gravity is rather weak compared to earth's, and the fact that it lacks a magnetic field capable of stopping solar winds from knocking gasses out of the atmosphere is a bit of a bugger.
It would still take millions of years before the loss in atmosphere becomes a problem, giving us ample time to address the problem.

>>3960728
Partially right. Mars was too small to retain its heat, and its magnetic field died as a result of the core cooling. However, it was this magnetic field loss COMBINED with the decline in volcanism and CO2 renewal from them that lead to an eventual blowing away and freezing out of the atmosphere and water.
There are still entire continent-sized regions of Mars that are 60% water ice by mass.

>>3656107
1) Reflection of sunlight on poles and higher latitudes from mirrors placed in Lagrangian points, manufactured by automated facilities from asteroid material.

2) I would peg a 500 millibar but breathable atmosphere at 150 years.

3) Mentioned below

>>3586822
Well, when colonization of Mars begins the majority of the people shipped out there would be scientists and engineers, either for work, living or exploration. The very same remoteness of Mars which acts as a barrier to its widespread settlement will be the filter which allows only those who have a good reason to be there.

>>3577988
>It was quelled pretty quickly
Yeah no doubt.

>>3577994
Say they reached their destination to a planet at say, 4 light years away, assuming they're travelling using ion drive, it'd take 81,000 years to get there.

Everyone on Earth might've died before they even get there.

>>3578000
>>3578002
feels bad man ;_;

>imagine