Is Mars the Possible candidate to become a habitable planet?
A recent study by the NASA Institute of Space Science suggests that it very well could be. The study was led by Dr. John Johnson of the University of Arizona. His research was part of a mission to study the Habitability of Mars, specifically at its poles and at its equator. This would help determine if there is water present in the atmosphere and how much.
If there is water present, would it be suitable for life forms. Dr. Johnson found that there are trace amounts of water ice existing on Mars. If there is ice, it would be thin and invisible under the snow. That would mean that it would be a cold planet, much like Earth. However, it is not cold enough to be a suitable abode for microbial life.
In addition, there are large quantities of nitrogen and sulfur, which are present in the soil of Mars. It would be extremely hostile to microbial life and quite inhospitable to animals, and plant life as well. Mars does not have enough air pressure to hold these gases against the Martian atmosphere. The atmosphere would become too thin to support any life. Which means that there are no prospects for life on Mars at the moment.
Now then, what about the prospects for life on other planets? Venus has got an atmosphere that could support life someday, as well as water. Earth’s atmosphere is only suitable for a few kinds of life. In fact, there are many astronomers who believe that we are only looking at life on the very early stages of development on other worlds such as Jupiter’s moon, or Saturn’s moon. It is only through observing them that we can learn of the habitability of planets that we have found.
Why do we not consider this when studying the planets? It seems clear to me that it is because if there is life on a planet where you would like to live, it must be able to survive on another planet with lower gravity. This is the law of averages. We must take into account the migration of planets, and the effects that they have had on Mars.
For instance, if Mars is very tidally-compacting, it would make sense for a planet similar to Earth’s Moon to have a land that is very similar to Mars, at least geologically. The land forms would be similar in composition, and thus it would be quite easy for liquid water to collect and stay within the soil. However, if the Moon’s gravity is much more Earth-like, and it is tidally-compacting, then no liquid water could accumulate and stay. And so, this would mean that the Moon’s oceans could never have supported life on Mars.
Is this an argument against the possibility of life on Mars?
No, not necessarily. The argument is simply a question of where do we draw the line in our exploration of space?
If we went to Mars, we might find ice-rich soils, and a thick atmosphere full of organics – all of which are the targets of scientists’ searches these days. If we stayed on Earth and looked for life in the microbial spaces below the Earth’s surface, we would probably find a variety of different types of microbes, and the search would go on.
In fact, Its suggested to keep looking, because there are many planets within our solar system that may be inhospitable to life. The fact is, there are at least two hundred planets out there in our solar system that may potentially be suitable for life. If we cannot find such potential on Mars, how do you think NASA will find other suitable planets it has been searching for?
There are several different technologies in development around the world, and NASA is well behind the technology curve in developing better ways to explore space and find life.
Ways to Bring Water to Mars – Top Solutions to Water Problems on Mars
Is Mars always too small to hold on to its massive oceans, rivers, and lakes of water? In 2006, NASA scientists had an interesting study about the effects of tides on Mars. The study focused on two different points in Mars’s orbit, perigee, and aphelis. They used a special telescope to examine the effects of tides on the two bodies.
The first stage of the study was to compare how much water flows on Mars as a result of tides. The second stage looked at how much gravitational pull of the planet obtains from other planets in its solar system. It also compared the effects of gravity from the sun on the planet. These factors all work together to help determine the distribution of water on Mars. The results showed that Mars is not capable of drying up its ocean-like bulk.
Tides on Mars are caused by the planet’s tilt. When the planet is tilted too far away from the sun, it experiences less gravity. Less gravity makes it difficult for water to escape the planet’s gravitational field. When the tilt angle is correct, gravity plays a greater role in water flow. This means that lakes and oceans may not be completely dried up on Mars. On the other hand, the planet does experience a greater amount of tilt than Earth.
Mars receives nearly three times more gravity at perigee than it does at aphelis. If the tilt continues to remain constant, then there will be less gravity pulling on Mars’ surface. In addition, the amount of tilt needed for equilibrium would cause the planet’s liquid inner core to boil, causing surface ice, and further shrinking the planet’s gravitational field. Ice in the cores would eventually trickle into the atmosphere causing global warming.
One possible way to solve this problem would be to add a small moon to Mars. A moon with enough gravity to hold the planet in its orbit would cause the water vapor in the atmosphere to escape into space. Although this is a fairly drastic solution (and still imaginary at this point), it could help to reduce the amount of Global Warming issues that could exist on Mars.
Another way to get more water on Mars is to add water-based compounds to the surface. Water could be harvested from the seas using technology similar to the way water is harvested on Earth. The same processes are used to collect water from the seas. A robot could also be sent to the poles to drill holes and extract water (as if we don’t have enough drilling going on). The collected water could then be used to fill the seas with water or be put into special laboratories on Earth to study the effects of water on Mars.
A way to make up for this lost water is to use some sort of solid substance. If the surface area of Mars is not large enough to hold water, then rocks could be used to capture some of the water. If the rocks are big enough, they could be spun around at very high speeds in a tunnel. The water would then be trapped inside the rocks. Although this process might seem inefficient, it would be faster than any other way of extracting water from the surface of Mars.
One way to compensate for the lack of liquid water on Mars is to use some type of vacuum system to suck up water from the surface. This could be done by placing some type of solid material, such as sand, into a vacuum chamber. Water would be sucked up from the chamber and spread across the surface. Although this method might not capture very much water, it would capture a lot of dust and debris that is swept away by the wind from the planet.
Or we can always consider the Elon Musk theory itself. Which was too nuke the planet in order to force it to heat up and develop natural resources on its own. Allowing to always be there waiting, unless Dinosaurs reappear as a result and create another problem.
Provided by Antonio Westley
Disclaimer: This article is meant to be seen as an overview of this subject and not a reflection of viewpoints or opinions as nothing is definitive. So, make sure to do your research and feel free to use this information at your own discretion.
