How deep a valley or trench would be needed on Mars to provide the same atmospheric pressure as 6 km above...
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Atmospheric pressure increases the deeper you go & the highest growing plants on Earth have been found at a height of 6 km so how deep a trench would we need on Mars to provide similar air pressure?
World’s highest plants discovered growing 6km above sea level
mars colonization atmosphere terraforming plants
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up vote
6
down vote
favorite
Atmospheric pressure increases the deeper you go & the highest growing plants on Earth have been found at a height of 6 km so how deep a trench would we need on Mars to provide similar air pressure?
World’s highest plants discovered growing 6km above sea level
mars colonization atmosphere terraforming plants
There's basically no O2 in the Martian atmosphere so no matter how deep you dig your trench, you still won't get an Earthlike atmosphere.
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
1
That would be a different question, I'm only asking about air pressure in this instance.
– Pelinore
2 days ago
Then you need to edit your question and make that clear. You just say "conditions".
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
2
Edited to clarify. Both of you play nice.
– Russell Borogove
2 days ago
1
Since the OP is interested in growing plants, he does not need the air pressure. He needs the CO2 partial pressure. One would have to calculate the CO2 partial pressure at 6000m altitude on Earth, and find the equivalent partial pressure depth on Mars.
– dotancohen
yesterday
|
show 8 more comments
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
Atmospheric pressure increases the deeper you go & the highest growing plants on Earth have been found at a height of 6 km so how deep a trench would we need on Mars to provide similar air pressure?
World’s highest plants discovered growing 6km above sea level
mars colonization atmosphere terraforming plants
Atmospheric pressure increases the deeper you go & the highest growing plants on Earth have been found at a height of 6 km so how deep a trench would we need on Mars to provide similar air pressure?
World’s highest plants discovered growing 6km above sea level
mars colonization atmosphere terraforming plants
mars colonization atmosphere terraforming plants
edited yesterday
asked 2 days ago
Pelinore
1715
1715
There's basically no O2 in the Martian atmosphere so no matter how deep you dig your trench, you still won't get an Earthlike atmosphere.
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
1
That would be a different question, I'm only asking about air pressure in this instance.
– Pelinore
2 days ago
Then you need to edit your question and make that clear. You just say "conditions".
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
2
Edited to clarify. Both of you play nice.
– Russell Borogove
2 days ago
1
Since the OP is interested in growing plants, he does not need the air pressure. He needs the CO2 partial pressure. One would have to calculate the CO2 partial pressure at 6000m altitude on Earth, and find the equivalent partial pressure depth on Mars.
– dotancohen
yesterday
|
show 8 more comments
There's basically no O2 in the Martian atmosphere so no matter how deep you dig your trench, you still won't get an Earthlike atmosphere.
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
1
That would be a different question, I'm only asking about air pressure in this instance.
– Pelinore
2 days ago
Then you need to edit your question and make that clear. You just say "conditions".
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
2
Edited to clarify. Both of you play nice.
– Russell Borogove
2 days ago
1
Since the OP is interested in growing plants, he does not need the air pressure. He needs the CO2 partial pressure. One would have to calculate the CO2 partial pressure at 6000m altitude on Earth, and find the equivalent partial pressure depth on Mars.
– dotancohen
yesterday
There's basically no O2 in the Martian atmosphere so no matter how deep you dig your trench, you still won't get an Earthlike atmosphere.
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
There's basically no O2 in the Martian atmosphere so no matter how deep you dig your trench, you still won't get an Earthlike atmosphere.
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
1
1
That would be a different question, I'm only asking about air pressure in this instance.
– Pelinore
2 days ago
That would be a different question, I'm only asking about air pressure in this instance.
– Pelinore
2 days ago
Then you need to edit your question and make that clear. You just say "conditions".
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
Then you need to edit your question and make that clear. You just say "conditions".
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
2
2
Edited to clarify. Both of you play nice.
– Russell Borogove
2 days ago
Edited to clarify. Both of you play nice.
– Russell Borogove
2 days ago
1
1
Since the OP is interested in growing plants, he does not need the air pressure. He needs the CO2 partial pressure. One would have to calculate the CO2 partial pressure at 6000m altitude on Earth, and find the equivalent partial pressure depth on Mars.
– dotancohen
yesterday
Since the OP is interested in growing plants, he does not need the air pressure. He needs the CO2 partial pressure. One would have to calculate the CO2 partial pressure at 6000m altitude on Earth, and find the equivalent partial pressure depth on Mars.
– dotancohen
yesterday
|
show 8 more comments
1 Answer
1
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oldest
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up vote
6
down vote
Mars' atmosphere scale height is, depending on who you ask, 10.8 to 11.1 km.
- Pressure at the bottom of Hellas Planitia: 1.16 kPa
- Earth sea level: 101.3 kPa
- Earth 6km altitude: ~50 kPa.
So we need air pressure to increase by a factor of about 43; ln 43 = 3.76 scale heights -- so we need a trench about 41km deep. Start digging!
This gets equivalent air pressure, but there's almost no oxygen. Partial pressure of CO2 on the other hand is about 2400 times higher -- Mars's surface level atmosphere offers more CO2 than Earth as it is.
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
1
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
2
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
1
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
|
show 4 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
Mars' atmosphere scale height is, depending on who you ask, 10.8 to 11.1 km.
- Pressure at the bottom of Hellas Planitia: 1.16 kPa
- Earth sea level: 101.3 kPa
- Earth 6km altitude: ~50 kPa.
So we need air pressure to increase by a factor of about 43; ln 43 = 3.76 scale heights -- so we need a trench about 41km deep. Start digging!
This gets equivalent air pressure, but there's almost no oxygen. Partial pressure of CO2 on the other hand is about 2400 times higher -- Mars's surface level atmosphere offers more CO2 than Earth as it is.
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
1
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
2
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
1
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
|
show 4 more comments
up vote
6
down vote
Mars' atmosphere scale height is, depending on who you ask, 10.8 to 11.1 km.
- Pressure at the bottom of Hellas Planitia: 1.16 kPa
- Earth sea level: 101.3 kPa
- Earth 6km altitude: ~50 kPa.
So we need air pressure to increase by a factor of about 43; ln 43 = 3.76 scale heights -- so we need a trench about 41km deep. Start digging!
This gets equivalent air pressure, but there's almost no oxygen. Partial pressure of CO2 on the other hand is about 2400 times higher -- Mars's surface level atmosphere offers more CO2 than Earth as it is.
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
1
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
2
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
1
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
|
show 4 more comments
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
Mars' atmosphere scale height is, depending on who you ask, 10.8 to 11.1 km.
- Pressure at the bottom of Hellas Planitia: 1.16 kPa
- Earth sea level: 101.3 kPa
- Earth 6km altitude: ~50 kPa.
So we need air pressure to increase by a factor of about 43; ln 43 = 3.76 scale heights -- so we need a trench about 41km deep. Start digging!
This gets equivalent air pressure, but there's almost no oxygen. Partial pressure of CO2 on the other hand is about 2400 times higher -- Mars's surface level atmosphere offers more CO2 than Earth as it is.
Mars' atmosphere scale height is, depending on who you ask, 10.8 to 11.1 km.
- Pressure at the bottom of Hellas Planitia: 1.16 kPa
- Earth sea level: 101.3 kPa
- Earth 6km altitude: ~50 kPa.
So we need air pressure to increase by a factor of about 43; ln 43 = 3.76 scale heights -- so we need a trench about 41km deep. Start digging!
This gets equivalent air pressure, but there's almost no oxygen. Partial pressure of CO2 on the other hand is about 2400 times higher -- Mars's surface level atmosphere offers more CO2 than Earth as it is.
answered 2 days ago
Russell Borogove
78.5k2257342
78.5k2257342
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
1
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
2
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
1
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
|
show 4 more comments
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
1
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
2
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
1
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
"Start digging!" got my shovel, just waiting on my ticket from SpaceX :)
– Pelinore
2 days ago
1
1
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
And note that at this depth your trench almost certainly collapses in on itself, the rock can't take the load.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
2
2
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LorenPechtel that depends on how steep the sides are, it has little to do with the depth.
– Level River St
yesterday
1
1
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
This answers the question asked! At 1.16kPa water boils at around 8C, at 50kPa, it boils at around 83C. Note that humans can tolerate pressures down to 6kPa (for periods short enough to avoid asphyxia) before their eyeballs and lungs are damaged by water boiling. That said, article cited by the OP states that the problem for plants at 6km altitude is not the pressure but rather "drought and frost." These are still going to be problems in a 40km deep trench on Mars.
– Level River St
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
@LevelRiverSt No, that trench is getting down to the point where the rocks will flow under the pressure. How steep the sides are has nothing to do with that.
– Loren Pechtel
yesterday
|
show 4 more comments
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There's basically no O2 in the Martian atmosphere so no matter how deep you dig your trench, you still won't get an Earthlike atmosphere.
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
1
That would be a different question, I'm only asking about air pressure in this instance.
– Pelinore
2 days ago
Then you need to edit your question and make that clear. You just say "conditions".
– Organic Marble
2 days ago
2
Edited to clarify. Both of you play nice.
– Russell Borogove
2 days ago
1
Since the OP is interested in growing plants, he does not need the air pressure. He needs the CO2 partial pressure. One would have to calculate the CO2 partial pressure at 6000m altitude on Earth, and find the equivalent partial pressure depth on Mars.
– dotancohen
yesterday