Great Country Academician

Chapter 955 The disappearing atmosphere of Mars~

Mars' oceans and atmosphere may not have completely disappeared.

This idea, which seems outrageous at first glance, will probably be criticized by countless people in the astronomical community.

After all, humans are now able to launch various satellites and probes into Mars orbit and Mars.

A large number of pictures and observational data are enough to prove that Mars is a desolate primitive planet with a thin atmosphere and dry land.

It can be said that all current exploration observations of Mars are sufficient to prove this.

However, for Xu Chuan, his statement is not without basis.

To say that it is outrageous, it does seem a little bit on the surface, but if you really observe it carefully, it is not impossible that the atmosphere and ocean of Mars still exist.

Especially for the evolutionary history of a planet, it is difficult for humans to truly understand what happened to it in the past time.

Like everything in nature, the planet also has a development process from birth to death.

Just like insects in nature, at different stages of growth, each has several completely different forms: eggs, larvae, pupae, and moths.

The reason why various planets have hugely different shapes is ultimately because each planet is at a different stage of evolution.

For example, the Earth, as a planet, originated from the primitive solar nebula 4.6 billion years ago. Like other planets, it has experienced common physical evolution processes such as accretion and collision.

But for the Earth in different periods, what exactly did it look like? For example, whether the early Earth was in a high or low temperature state, how the land originated, how the atmosphere came about, etc. are all mysteries.

To understand these in depth, we can only rely on various observational data, rock samples, existing planetary environment, etc. to make inferences.

And these things are just a drop in the ocean of the evolution of the entire planet.

Smiling, Xu Chuan took out a few reports from the exploration data in his hand, handed them over, and said: "My idea of ​​​​proposing this is not without evidence. In theory, it is also feasible."

"Look at this."

"Soil element analysis spectrum, surface rock structure analysis data, and ice cap detection data at the north and south poles of Mars."

Academician Chang Huaxiang took the report, glanced at it curiously, and looked up at Xu Chuan. These reports were all related to Mars soil or Mars two-level data.

"Yeah, that's right."

Xu Chuan smiled and nodded, saying: "I have noticed that in these analysis reports, the values ​​of the methane content in the nearby environment measured by the modulated laser spectrometer are relatively high."

"In order to study the situation on Mars, I have read and studied a large amount of geological-related information."

"In a study by two MIT geologists, I found a clue that could serve as evidence."

"They remotely detected an igneous rock with low silicon content called an ultramafic rock in the Martian crust. On Earth, this igneous rock forms montmorillonite when corroded or weathered by water."

"And on Mars, we now have enough evidence that there were ancient rivers on Mars, and water may have flowed there and reacted with the underlying rocks."

"What we discovered this time in the Kander Canyon is enough to prove this point."

After a pause, he looked at Academician Chang Huaxiang and continued:

"To put it simply, if my guess is not wrong. Then in a billion years, the water resources that once existed on the surface of Mars may have penetrated the crust and mixed with a kind of magnesium iron silicate mineral rich in igneous rocks - Peridot reacted."

"And this mineral is rich in iron, and the oxygen in the water will combine with the iron in the process, releasing hydrogen. On the one hand, this iron oxide may contribute to the unique red color of Mars."

"On the other hand, the hydrogen released by this reaction may combine with carbon dioxide in the water to form methane and convert olivine into smectite clay step by step."

"Smectite clay has strong carbon storage capacity and will absorb large amounts of methane, carbon dioxide and other gases."

"If you take into account the estimated amount of clay covering the surface of Mars, Martian clay could store at least about 60% more of the carbon dioxide in the original early atmosphere of Mars."

Hearing this, Academician Chang Huaxiang looked over in surprise, and finally couldn't help but ask: "More than 60% carbon dioxide? Are you sure?"

This number doesn't sound like a lot. Sixty percent is only half of the early atmosphere.

But for Mars, if such an exaggerated amount of carbon dioxide and methane can be stored in the soil, then it may not be impossible to reconstruct the atmosphere of Mars.

Of course, from his personal perspective, he is still skeptical of Xu Chuan's theory.

The logic sounds completely feasible, but can the soil on the surface of Mars really preserve so much atmosphere?

After all, after losing the protection of the magnetic field, theoretically speaking, Mars' atmosphere and water resources should escape into space instead of being preserved inside the soil.

Xu Chuan nodded and said: "My calculation should not be wrong."

"Of course, whether this is correct or not requires us to follow up on the distribution of clay on the surface of Mars and the corresponding content of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases in the soil."

After a slight pause, he added: "In addition, a new mission will be added to the exploration of Mars."

"That is to observe the current atmospheric escape velocity of Mars."

"If my calculations are correct, then theoretically speaking, the escape velocity of the Martian atmosphere may not be that fast."

Chang Huaxiang nodded and agreed without hesitation.

"This is not a problem. The subsequent Mars exploration can just launch another round of equipment specifically to monitor the atmospheric escape velocity. It is not a problem for us."

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Well, in the next launch, we will increase the exploration of the distribution of Mars' gravity field."

"Gravity field distribution exploration?"

Upon hearing this mission, Academician Chang Huaxiang was stunned for a moment and asked curiously: "What is this?"

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "It can help us better understand the tidal volume and internal model structure of Mars, and verify the distribution of resources inside Mars and my theory."

After a pause, he continued: "In addition, adjust the direction of the exploration of life on Mars and increase the intensity of exploration in areas such as the Mariner Grand Canyon, Olympus Volcano, and Sedimentary Plains where obvious water resources have been discovered."

"Also, when exploring life on Mars, you must remember to be prepared for protection."

"If there are really microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, etc. on Mars, then the strictest protective measures must be taken whether it is the samples or equipment collected." Chang Huaxiang nodded and simply recorded these things. .

In fact, both the astronomy community, the biology community, and even governments are waiting for the results of their exploration of Mars.

In particular, the detection of life on Mars is the focus of attention.

After all, earlier, the Xinghai Research Institute had discovered fossil traces of ancient lunar microorganisms in caves at the South Pole of the moon.

Compared with the moon, which has a harsher ecological environment, the environment on Mars is obviously more suitable for the evolution and survival of life.

Especially now that they have also discovered water ice resources in the Mariner Grand Canyon and inside the crater of Mount Olympus.

This means that the possibility of the existence of forms of life on Mars that are known to humans has greatly increased.

As for extraterrestrial life, when meeting them for the first time, it is not too much to treat them with a 200% rigorous attitude.

After all, if life really exists on Mars, even if it is harmless to humans, it may pollute the earth's ecosystem.

And if it is harmful to humans, it may have serious consequences.

In the office, Xu Chuan and Academician Chang Huaxiang were chatting about work arrangements related to Mars exploration.

On the other side, the United States.

News related to Mars exploration also occupy the hot searches on major software platforms.

Especially for the manned mission launched by China, even the CNN cable news channel poured cold water on it to a certain extent, believing that without enough unmanned detection and accumulation of data, this project may fail. But this does not extinguish the relevant enthusiasm.

Even if they don't want to admit it, they have to face a terrible reality.

China, which has achieved overtaking in the aerospace field through its new space shuttle, is developing its outer space exploration capabilities at an incredible speed.

First there was manned landing on the moon, then there was the establishment of a scientific research base on the moon, and now there is manned landing on spacecraft.

A series of actions have deeply touched the hearts of Americans.

Many times, there is no gap without comparison.

Especially now, when China has begun manned missions to the moon, NASA has no news about it.

Even the previously publicized ‘Moon Ladder’ plan has been met with much fanfare and little rain so far, and no actual action has been seen.

This caused protests and doubts from many people.

Many people are questioning whether NASA receives so much funding every year but never develops aerospace technology, or the efficiency is too low.

Even the Washington Post, which has always been mild-mannered, published a piece in the newspaper titled "What on earth is NASA doing?" ” news report questioned NASA’s development progress in the field of outer space over the past half century.

In fact, it is not that NASA and the United States stopped developing aerospace technology after the end of the Cold War.

Achievements and honors in the aerospace field such as Voyager 1/2, manned moon landings, and the Webb Telescope are indeed unmatched by other countries.

Moreover, the United States has always been the country with the largest investment in the exploration of outer space in the world. In recent years, its expenditure has been close to 30 billion U.S. dollars every year.

Although not all of the nearly 30 billion meters of funds are used to develop aerospace technology, the funds it receives are indeed the most among all aerospace agencies.

In contrast, the funding of the China Space Administration before Xu Chuan officially entered the aerospace field was only about 10 billion meters.

The European Space Agency has even less, only 7 billion meters of gold.

And from another perspective, NASA has slowed down its exploration of outer space since entering the 21st century. At least in terms of the pace of manned landings on the moon and manned missions, NASA itself cannot decide.

After losing Hongsu as a competitor in the last century, the United States has become unparalleled in the development of the aerospace field.

Even Tsarist Russia, which was originally recognized as the second strongest country in aerospace, is still far behind the United States.

According to NASA and the US authorities, even if other countries start to vigorously support the development of the aerospace field, it will take at least ten to twenty years to catch up with them.

This time is enough for them to restart and pick up the expansion of the outer space field.

With the aerospace technology stored by NASA and the United States, everyone in the United States believes that they will always be the number one aerospace power.

But what no one expected was that China's development in the aerospace field would be so rapid.

Under the leadership of Professor Xu, China's aerospace technology, like the controlled nuclear fusion technology they studied, stood out from the original fifty years and went straight to the sky like a rocket.

In just a few years, they surpassed the United States, the former number one aerospace power, and even left NASA far behind.

This development speed exceeded everyone's expectations and understanding, so that NASA and the United States were directly crushed when they were almost unprepared.

Especially with China's development speed, many Americans are afraid.

Fear may be that in a few years, Mars will be full of their scientific research bases or immigrant cities, and even the entire Mars will become China's territory.

Although international law and space law stipulate that no country may make its own sovereignty claims to outer space or a planet in space.

But regulations are often just regulations.

If China can really build an immigrant city on Mars and develop the resources on Mars on a large scale, who can go to Mars to stop them?

No one will doubt whether China can do this. As long as they can successfully send astronauts to Mars, they will soon march towards Mars on a large scale.

Just like the moon now, in just two years, they have developed from the first manned moon landing to a huge scientific research base built on the moon. Isn't it the same that no country can stop them?

Even if China wants to drop a nuclear bomb on the moon now, I'm afraid other countries can only watch.

For a time, news reports related to manned landing on Mars have set off intense discussions around the world.

Many people have even suggested that the rights to develop outer space should be renegotiated to strictly prohibit a single country from controlling the development of an entire alien planet.