Huge Water Ice Deposits Cover South Pole Of Mars - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Nehkara · 03-20-2007, 01:18 PM

• Satellite finds huge ice deposits on Mars' south pole
• Ice 2.3 miles thick in some areas
• Appears to be frozen water covered by layer of frozen CO2
• If melted, ice would cover planet with 36 feet of water

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/0...eut/index.html

This is a significant discovery. Any future colony would need a good-sized source of water. Also, in the far-off future, it would probably be good for any terraforming effort if there was already a good amount of water.

Knut · 03-20-2007, 01:20 PM

Lets melt the CO2.... get a global warming effect... add some plantlife.... and in like 10,000 yrs the planet will be ready to colonize.

Sweet...

Regulator75 · 03-20-2007, 01:20 PM

Quaid... Start the reactor...

worth · 03-20-2007, 01:22 PM

Bet ya $100 there is microbial life in that ice.

Rhettzky · 03-20-2007, 01:23 PM

....and man comes one step closer to three boobed ladies.

troutman · 03-20-2007, 01:24 PM

Underground caves found on Mars:

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/12620...-found-on-Mars

Researchers from the US Geological Survey (USGS) have found underground caves on Mars.

Finding such caverns on Mars is important for researchers keen to find a place for humans to build a base on the planet, or for those looking for signs of ancient life.

"Just as on Earth, caves provide shelter from the elements, particularly dust storms and temperature extremes. On the red planet, they also protect from the rain of micro-meteorites, solar flares, ultraviolet radiation and high-energy particles from space," he said.

Such underground caverns might also harbour stable water ice, he added.

Nehkara · 03-20-2007, 01:24 PM

Apparently there is a vague hint that there may be a small amount of liquid water in the vicinity of the ice, according to the article.

TheDragon · 03-20-2007, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hesla

Lets melt the CO2.... get a global warming effect... add some plantlife.... and in like 10,000 yrs the planet will be ready to colonize.

Sweet...

That'd actually be one hell of an easy way to terraform the planet, I think.

Nehkara · 03-20-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDragon

That'd actually be one hell of an easy way to terraform the planet, I think.

I think there is a drive to try and understand why the planet lost its atmosphere originally.... it would really suck to melt all of the CO2 ice just to have the CO2 fly off into space.

ken0042 · 03-20-2007, 01:30 PM

Didn't Mars lose it's atmosphere when the planet's core cooled and it lost its magnetic field? Or was that a movie I saw?

worth · 03-20-2007, 01:31 PM

Didn't mars' magnetic field quit, thus allowing the sun to pummel the surface with radiation? I thought that was the reason the atmosphere was no longer there.

I think mars is a bit out of the habitable zone also. At night it would be far too cold for an exposed human to stand. Not sure how much of a difference an atmosphere would have on this. Perhaps warm it up a bit, but I don't think it would be enough to go walking around with a jacket and toque on.

Nehkara · 03-20-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worth

Didn't mars' magnetic field quit, thus allowing the sun to pummel the surface with radiation? I thought that was the reason the atmosphere was no longer there.

I think mars is a bit out of the habitable zone also. At night it would be far too cold for an exposed human to stand. Not sure how much of a difference an atmosphere would have on this. Perhaps warm it up a bit, but I don't think it would be enough to go walking around with a jacket and toque on.

By the time we would have the technology to even attempt terraforming, we would be able to either ensure that the greenhouse effect was sufficient to make the planet habitable... or be able to create enclosed settlements not directly exposed to the atmosphere of the planet itself.

troutman · 03-20-2007, 01:36 PM

http://www.pbs.org/lifebeyondearth/a...raforming.html

Terraforming Mars would mean providing the red planet with life's three requisites — water, energy and organic molecules. There is water there already. Human technology might provide the organics and boost the amount of available energy. In one plan, giant mirrors in space would warm the surface, while genetically engineered plants and trees replenished the atmosphere. Over time the red planet would bloom with the greens and blues of life. Eventually the air would become breathable, and the great-great grandchildren of the first colonists might fish and farm under the blue skies of a terraformed Mars.

http://www.pbs.org/lifebeyondearth/alone/habitable.html

The habitable zone first encompassed the orbits of Venus to Mars, planets close enough to the sun for solar energy to drive the chemistry of life — but not so close as to boil off water or break down the organic molecules on which life depends.

The habitable zone may be larger than originally conceived. The strong gravitational pull caused by large planets may produce enough energy to sufficiently heat the cores of orbiting moons. Life has proven itself tough here on Earth. Perhaps it could thrive in more extreme environments.

Technical and Scientific References
http://www.astrobiology.com/terraforming.html

Winsor_Pilates · 03-20-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hesla

Lets melt the CO2.... get a global warming effect... add some plantlife.... and in like 10,000 yrs the planet will be ready to colonize.

Sweet...

Didn't you hear?
Global warming is just a political conspiracy from the left.

If we can't even global warm earth, we won't be able to global warm Mars.

Cowperson · 03-20-2007, 01:40 PM

Melting ice and releasing underground aquifers to the surface of Mars is one of the many interesting discussion points in this famous trilogy series - with a lot of science behind it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_trilogy

Cowperson

worth · 03-20-2007, 01:41 PM

I say screw terraforming mars. lets go to alpha centauri...it's only what, 4.3 light years away? much faster than terraforming...just have to figure out the travel at the speed of light part... and then off we go!

Agamemnon · 03-20-2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Melting ice and releasing underground aquifers to the surface of Mars is one of the many interesting discussion points in this famous trilogy series - with a lot of science behind it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_trilogy

Cowperson

I went out and bought this series when you recommended it in another thread. Definitely a very 'science' oriented read when it comes to a fictional account of the colonization of Mars. I'm a third the way through the first book and so far its gripping. I had to buy it twice because I left the first one at my ex-girlfriends place, and she moved to Lloyd... had to buy it again!

Knut · 03-20-2007, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Melting ice and releasing underground aquifers to the surface of Mars is one of the many interesting discussion points in this famous trilogy series - with a lot of science behind it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_trilogy

Cowperson

Looks awesome i am going to go to Indigo right now and pick it up... every since i finished both the Dune and Foundation series i have been looking for a new one to occupy my time.

troutman · 03-20-2007, 02:36 PM

You may also enjoy Dan Simmons:

http://www.sfsite.com/lists/dsim.htm

Ilium (2003) Olympos (2005)

Set on Mars, bio-engineered post-humans are recreating the events reported in Homer's Iliad

Kim Stanley Robinson
http://www.sfsite.com/lists/ksr.htm

Red Planet
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199753/

Mission to Mars
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183523/

photon · 03-20-2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worth

Bet ya $100 there is microbial life in that ice.

Lol that's a loaded bet.. you can't ever lose!

"Sure they didn't find it yet but there's still billions of cubic metres of ice left to look through!"