How to transform Mars into a second Earth?

Among the planets in the solar system, Mars is the closest to the Earth. Mars and Earth pass by each other every 779 days, with the closest distance being about 54 million kilometers (the farthest being about 400 million kilometers). This day is called "Mars opposition", and it takes only 3 minutes at the speed of light to reach the Sun. Currently, the fastest probe launched by humans can reach the Sun in more than 100 days.

Mars' rotation period is similar to that of the Earth, with a day of 24 hours and 40 minutes. The inclination of its rotation axis is also similar to that of the Earth, and the four seasons are very similar to that of the Earth. There is solid water on Mars, that is, water ice, and there are a large number of dry riverbeds all over Mars. This has given humans endless reverie. Can we transform Mars into another Earth?

Warming up Mars

The average temperature on Mars is around −63°C (the Earth’s is 15°C). If the temperature on Mars could be raised above 0°C, a large amount of water ice would turn into water.

Image: Mars, note the North Pole ice cap

The atmosphere of Mars is relatively thin, with an average surface pressure of only 6 hPa, which is about 0.6% of the surface pressure on Earth. If the temperature on Mars rises to an average of -56.5°C or above, the carbon dioxide ice in the ice cap and permafrost will melt into gas, and the surface pressure on Mars will increase significantly, forming a greenhouse effect, further raising the temperature on Mars until it averages above 0°C. During this process, greenhouse gases in the Martian soil will also be continuously emitted, which means that once the climate starts to warm, it will be an accelerated process. At this time, there will be rivers, lakes and seas on Mars, as well as clouds, rain, snow and other weather conditions, and the red Mars will turn blue.

Figure - Mars North Pole Ice Cap

So the key to the problem is how to take the first step and artificially raise the temperature of Mars by even 1-2℃?

Method 1: First build a nuclear power plant on Mars, then build a chemical plant to produce greenhouse gases such as carbon tetrafluoride and chlorofluorocarbons. With the current level of technology, it may take hundreds of years for several major countries to cooperate to build nuclear power plants and chemical plants on Mars, but it only takes decades to produce a considerable amount of carbon tetrafluoride. This method has an obvious bug, that is, Mars has no magnetic field, and the solar wind may blow away the Martian atmosphere.

Method 2 is to build a large artificial magnetic field in the orbit of Mars to block the solar wind and prevent the atmosphere from being blown away. With the current level of technology, it would take hundreds of years for several major countries to cooperate to build mines and factories on Mars before launching artificial satellites one after another and forming a large artificial magnetic field, which is like a wall to deflect the solar wind from the direction of Mars. In terms of order, method 2 should be done first, and then method 1.

【Oxygen production】

There is fresh water on Mars and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but there is still a lack of oxygen.

Figure - Rift Valley on Mars

Humans can cultivate microorganisms, bacteria, and algae on Mars to produce organic matter and improve the soil quality of Mars. At the same time, they can cultivate fungi and mosses to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. In a few decades, humans can start to plant some plants with strong vitality, such as pine trees. After hundreds of years, large-scale afforestation will begin, and photosynthesis will convert carbon dioxide into more oxygen. About hundreds of years later, the vegetation on Mars will be close to that on Earth, with flourishing flowers and plants, full of vitality, and colorful.

Figure-Mars after transformation

At this time, the liquid water on Mars will dissolve some Martian minerals, causing Mars to produce plate movements like the Earth. The magma in the mantle will also flow, driving the core to rotate. Mars may form its own magnetic field, and then Starlink's artificial magnetic field will no longer be needed.

Adapting to Mars

Mars is only half the diameter of Earth, with only 10% of its mass and 38% of its gravity. If humans live in a low-gravity environment for a long time, their bones will become loose, and the support of their ligaments, joints, and muscles will also weaken, making their cardiovascular system and internal organs very susceptible to damage.

In order to overcome the low gravity on Mars, humans have to constantly train to survive in a low-gravity environment on Earth during the thousands of years of warming Mars and producing oxygen. For example, if some people train in a low-gravity environment for one hour every day, after dozens of generations, the human body may produce some genes that adapt to the low-gravity environment. This is evolution.

At this time, humans on Mars are still living in rooms with artificial gravity, going outside for an hour a day to adapt to the Martian gravity, and gradually increasing the time spent outdoors over hundreds of years.

In general, it will take humans at least three hundred years to transform Mars into a habitable planet, provided that major space powers such as China, the United States and Russia work together.

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