Greenhouse gases could breathe life into Mars
17:49 04 February 2005 NewScientist.com news service Kelly Young
Pumping greenhouse gases into the Martian atmosphere over hundreds or even thousands of years could warm the frozen planet enough to sustain life, according to new research.
Synthetic fluorine-based gases could produce global warming on Mars while also creating an atmosphere conducive to life, say scientists at the NASA Ames Research Centre, California, US.
Conditions on Mars are currently inhospitable for advanced life. Temperatures on the Red Planet currently dip down to -120°C at night near the poles. And the atmospheric pressure on Mars is much less than on Earth as its atmosphere is thinner and its gravity lower.
In order to support life, scientists have proposed transforming Mars into an Earth-like planet in a process called terraforming. And a crucial component of this would be to warm up the planet.
The study found four fluorine-based gases that could be made of elements abundant on the Martian surface. Fluorine excels at absorbing thermal energy. In addition, the gas does not destroy ozone, unlike the greenhouse gases bromine and chlorine...