VOA科学技术2024--Scientists Propose Idea to Warm Mars

The idea of turning Mars into a livable world for humans is a common element of science fiction. But could such an action be done in real life?

Scientists are now proposing a new method to warm up Earth's planetary neighbor. The idea involves putting engineered particles made of iron or aluminum¹ into the atmosphere. The goal is to trap escaping heat and direct sunlight toward the Martian surface.

The proposed idea would be to increase the natural greenhouse effect on Mars and raise its surface temperature by around 28 degrees Celsius² over ten years.

Such a change alone would not make Mars livable for people. But the scientists who developed the idea see it as a possible first step.

Edwin Kite of the University of Chicago helped lead the study that appeared recently in the publication Science Advances.

Kite described the process of terraforming - meaning to change a planet's environment to be more like Earth. "For Mars, warming the planet is a necessary, but insufficient³, first step. Previous concepts have focused on releasing greenhouse gases, but these require large amounts of resources that are scarce on Mars," he said.

Kite added that climate modeling suggests the new idea of using engineered particles to warm Mars' atmosphere could work better than previous ideas. Kite explained that the work is important because it presents a possible method that could help future exploration plans.

NASA has sent robotic vehicles to explore the Martian surface and the InSight Lander to study the planet's interior. The U.S. space agency's Artemis program aims to put astronauts in the coming years on the moon's surface for the first time since 1972 in preparation for possible future human missions to Mars.

There are several barriers to human settlements on Mars. They include a lack of breathable oxygen, harmful ultraviolet radiation, salty soil, and dust storms that sometimes cover much of the planet. And Mars' cold temperatures are a serious issue.

The median Martian surface temperature is about minus-65 degrees Celsius. With its thin atmosphere, solar heat on the Martian surface easily escapes into space. The proposal would aim to permit liquid water to exist on the surface of Mars, which has water in the form of ice at its polar areas and its subsurface.

The scientists proposed continuously releasing tiny particles, called nanorods, into the atmosphere at a rate of about 30 liters per second for years.

Samaneh Ansari of Northwestern University in Illinois is the study's lead writer. Ansari said, "The idea is to either ship the material or better yet, ship the manufacturing tool and make the nanorods on the planet since iron and aluminum are abundant on the surface of Mars."

The researchers are mindful of the possibility of unintended consequences in terraforming another world. Scientists, for instance, are eager to learn whether Mars has held life in the past - or perhaps currently, in the form of subsurface microbes.

Kite suggested that the costs and benefits of releasing nanorods are uncertain. For example, he said if Mars' soil has compounds that are harmful to life from Earth, then the benefit of warming Mars is zero.

Words in This Story

fiction - n. an invented story

greenhouse effect - n. warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of a planet that is caused by conversion⁴ of solar radiation into heat

insufficient - adj. not enough, inadequate⁵

concept - n. an abstract or generic⁶ idea

focus - v. to concentrate attention or effort

median -- n. the middle value of a range of values

polar - adj. of or relating to a geographic⁷ pole

abundant -- adj. existing or occurring in large amounts

consequence -- n. something produced by a cause

1 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

2 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

3 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

4 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

5 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

6 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。

7 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法