So
far we have established a Martian base and civilization, yet the ultimate question still
remain, Can Mars be terraformed? Can we transform Mars into a fully habitable environment?
On the surface, this notion seems to be completely based on science fiction; however,
terraforming has occurred somewhere else for the past four billion years. Obviously, this
place being Earth. During the early days of Earth, there was no oxygen in the atmosphere,
only carbon dioxide and nitrogen and the land was composed of barren rock. As time
progressed, photosynthetic organisms evolved that transformed the carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere into oxygen. As a result of this activity not only was a runaway greenhouse
effect on Earth avoided, in which the Earth would become extremely hot, but the evolution
of aerobic organisms, those using oxygen based respiration, was begun. These animals and
plants then proceeded to alter the Earth still more, colonizing the land, creating soil,
and modifying global climate.
By analysis, it can be seen that the Earth has literally
been remade to support billions of people. The humans, with their uniqueness and
intelligence were able to transform Earth, and thus live up to their potential. So, since
humans were able to terraform Earth, why can't they follow through on Mars? First of all,
we know Mars has the potential to be terraformed even though it is cold and dry, for it
has the element required to support life: water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. In
addition, the physical aspects of Mars concerning its gravity, rotation rate, axial tilt,
and distance from the Sun, are very close to that of Earth's. However, there is one
problem - the Martian atmosphere. Mars' current carbon dioxide atmosphere is less
than one percent that of Earth's at sea level, with is 14.7 pounds per square inch. Though
this poises a problem, researches believe that there are enough reserves of carbon dioxide
on the planet to greatly thicken the atmosphere. Some of this carbon dioxide exists in
frozen form as "dry ice" and makes up the south polar cap. In addition, more
reserves are trapped within its regolith, the loose surface material that overlays the
planet
Obviously the red planet needs to be heated up, which at first glance would seem to be a problem; however, it really is not. In order to heat up the planet, we would have to release or produce gases that will trap infrared radiation, and thus, warm the planet. On Earth we call this mechanism the greenhouse effect. This same atmospheric greenhouse effect could be created on Mars in at least three different ways: by warming selected areas of th eplanet to release large reservoirs of the native greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide; by establishing factories on Mars to produce very powerful artificial greenhouse gases such as halocarbons; or by releasing bacteria that could produce natural greenhouse gases more powerful than carbon dioxide such as ammonia or methane. As it can be seen, Mars can be terraformed and it will be.
