| MadSci Network: Astronomy |
Hi Robert.
This an interesting question. I had to research some to be able to try to
answer it. I have a list of the web sites I used to help me at the end of
my answer.
Most people only think of the need for oxygen when we talk of going to Mars. The need for a buffer gas such as nitrogen is just as important. The first thing we need to consider is: Is there enough nitrogen on Mars in the first place? That is a question that is not yet answered. If there is enough nitrogen on Mars, it is locked in the soil as nitrates. To release the nitrogen and oxygen from these rocks would only require massive amounts of heat. The suggestions I have seen on the Internet range from large solar mirrors focusing the heat on the nitrate bearing rocks to setting off large numbers of nuclear explosions to targeting Mars with asteroids and comets. The latter seems to be the best because we can select the asteroids and comets with materials that we need, like water, ammonia, carbon dioxide and such. The ammonia would also increase the amount of nitrogen available as well.
We would have to do other things at the same time in order to make Mars more like Earth. Warming Mars would require a lot of energy and would help increase the amount of gas in the atmosphere. The atmosphere that we could create on Mars could be very similar to the one we have here, however it would need constant maintenance due to Mars lower gravity. The gasses would be lost at a much higher rate than on Earth. If we can get that far we should be able to maintain the atmosphere.
I found these articles very interesting and thought you might as well. The last one is entertaining as well as informative. You might want to start with that one.
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Astronomy.