Insanely high gas plumes on Mars

[steph]

Perhaps it's been discussed here before. Giant plumes of gas, observed over Mars. As in , 250 km high. Might be some form of CO2 outgassing? It looks hardcore, almost like a full-atmosphere splash motion. So...WTF?
Volcanic eruptions maybe?

This reminds me of the terraforming scene in Total Recall :lol:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astr...umes_what_s_causing_these_weird_features.html

In any case, I doubt Mars has enough delta-V to propel itself out of its normal orbit. So far, the ejections haven't achieved escape velocity.

Edit: Maybe we've been looking for the Nazis in the wrong place all this time. They went to Mars, not the Moon. And now they're terraforming it. Seriously though, a gas plume out there would (a) have a seriously bad-ass cause and (b) make itself noticed as changes in the orbits of the probes. Might there be a link to the recent comet pass?

 

[Urwumpe]

I would say it is the launches of the Martian invasion ships to conquer our planet with their tripods.

 

[statickid]

Is MRO really unable to look at Martian limb??

 

[RGClark]

Could it be meteor impacts?

Bob Clark

 

[Nicholander]

So... Is this evidence that Mars is geologically active? (I doubt it though, it could very well be an asteroid impact)

 

[statickid]

Except for the size of the plume, i feel like the new craters would be fairly obvious with HiRISE

 

[Unstung]

The MRO can't detect new (and smaller) craters that easily. For example, one was discovered last year using old data taken two years apart. Mapping the globe takes a while.

As Phil Plait says in the source material, it could be an aurora. That seems like a very reasonable assumption. But Mars does show recent geologic activity.

 

[steph]

http://news.discovery.com/space/mysterious-mars-plumes-defy-explanation-150216.htm

So apparently they still "defy explanation" and the auroras would need quite high energy fluxes.

There you go :lol: :

 

[Treetop64]

"Get your ahhs to Mahs!"

One thing I've always wondered: What's the point of terraforming a planet that has no magnetic field? I mean, yeah, it would be cool, but wouldn't it also be futile?

 

[Delta glider]

The Martians forgot to and were blown up by

 

[Siliconaut]

"Get your ahhs to Mahs!"

One thing I've always wondered: What's the point of terraforming a planet that has no magnetic field? I mean, yeah, it would be cool, but wouldn't it also be futile?

Absolutely. I've often wondered this myself when people talk of terraforming Mars they never think about things like solar wind eroding away the atmosphere faster than we could make it... Or the fact the soil is highly contaminated with perchlorates and are so carcinogenic that any astronaut exposed to Martian dust probably get cancer in a few years and that dust clings to every surface, it would be impossible to not be exposed to it in unhealthy quantities. Mars soil is toxic waste by human standards. It's has been irradiated for 4 billion years. That isn't just sterile dirt on Mars by any long shot.

 

[statickid]

What you guys aren't taking into account is that terraforming is by current standards god-like magic, and would most likely solve such problems, otherwise, it wouldn't BE terraforming

 

[fsci123]

It will probably be easier to alter our genetic codes to survive in the Martian atmosphere than altering the Mars enviroment to be like earths.

 

[Andy44]

What you guys aren't taking into account is that terraforming is by current standards god-like magic, and would most likely solve such problems, otherwise, it wouldn't BE terraforming

If humans are the cause of global climate change, than terraforming is already taking place.

(Or is it de-terraforming?)

 

[statickid]

I'd say we're de-terraforming :lol:

IMO, once we can terraform the Sahara into fertile, arable land, we will be able to claim that we have taken the first step of progress in field of terraforming.

Of course we can't ruin the rest of the planet in the process, otherwise the effort will be disqualified.

I suppose directing a comet into the Earth and waiting for the surface to stabilize won't be a viable strategy either :hmm:

 

[TachyonDriver]

I suppose directing a comet into the Earth and waiting for the surface to stabilize won't be a viable strategy either :hmm:

Not in my backyard! :lol:

 

[RisingFury]

It will probably be easier to alter our genetic codes to survive in the Martian atmosphere than altering the Mars enviroment to be like earths.

You have a habit for expressing unfounded claims that are usually the other way around.

 

[Treetop64]

If humans are the cause of global climate change, than terraforming is already taking place.

(Or is it de-terraforming?)

More like terradeforming.

 

[fsci123]

You have a habit for expressing unfounded claims that are usually the other way around.

Explain.