Posted on 03/08/2008 12:09:05 PM PST by Exton1
If CO2 is such a powerful greenhouse gas, why has Mars, with an atmosphere of 95% CO2 not warmed any more than earth, with it's .3% CO2? With the Martian polar ice caps melting, that should pump even more CO2 into the atmosphere, resulting in even more warming. That it's not happening says to me that CO2 ain't all it's cracked up to be as a global greenhouse gas.
Without energy from the sun, the temperature of earth would be a few degrees north of absolute zero, so to say the sun has no influence over global warming is absurd.
"The mechanism at work on Mars appears, however, to be different from that on Earth." Well, duh! The two planets are totally different. What they do have in common is the warming energy from the sun.
I think the fact that both planets are showing basically the same temperature increase in spite of their huge climatic and atmospheric differences points to the sun as the major culprit here.
Measurements made in 1976 by the Viking landers established the exact composition of the atmosphere on Mars as 95.3% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen, and 1.6% argon, with smaller amounts of oxygen (0.15%) and water vapor (0.03%).
(Excerpt) Read more at daviddarling.info ...
The failed sun being Jupiter.
Let’s start over.
Mars has a greater mass, gravitational acceleration and escape velocity than Titan. Titan retains a thick atmosphere but Mars does not.
Thus, Mars should have a greater ability than Titan to retain an atmosphere. Obviously, Mars does not have a thick atmosphere, but the reason does not seem to be insufficient gravity, your original point.
How does Saturn as a “failed star” aid Titan in retaining an atmosphere?
Titan expels a greater mass. Check your facts.
Jupiter is the failed star in our system theoretically.
Mars could have a much heavier atmosphere. The gravity is sufficient to hold an atmosphere a person could walk around in with no more than an oxygen mask.
Not for long. The solar winds blow away any atmosphere due to a lack of a magnetosphere.
Yup.
Mars should have more atmosphere right now. When the first modern measurements were made it was surprising there was so little atmosphere. But, considering some of the atmospheric constituents are frozen out at the poles, if the planet is warmed up that should help build it up to where it should be for our uses.
If they can get some dipole molecules such as water vapor circulating they can have a magnetosphere, maybe not as strong as earth’s since circulation won’t be as strong, but some anyway.
I personally believe that it can be made useful. I don’t know if that answers your question.
I don’t have any question except whether it will be a business opportunity anytime soon. It appears not except for contracts with NASA and other space agencies.
Your lens is clouded IMO.
Right. OTOH I have an actual business plan.
The only impediment is not on Mars but in the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty. Repeal it and we’re ready to get this thing going.
Good angle. Worthy of thought.
Jupiter is far from a failed sun. It would need at least 80 times it’s mass to obtain fusion at the level of a minimal red dwarf.
It is mostly hydrogen. It is a failed sun. What books are you reading?
Radiated power varies as the sqauare of the distance. No valid comparison here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.