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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  • 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















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







share|improve this question
























  • 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













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







share|improve this question















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






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








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


















  • 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










1 Answer
1






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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.






share|improve this answer





















  • "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











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up vote
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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.






share|improve this answer





















  • "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















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.






share|improve this answer





















  • "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













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.






share|improve this answer












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.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










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


















  • "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


















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