Re: So, what kind of 'life' should we plant on Mars?

From: Dennis M. Hammes (scrawlmark_at_arvig.net)
Date: 07/30/04 

Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2004 07:42:24 GMT

"Kevin M. Kirby" wrote:
>
> "Jonathan" <anon@earthlink.com> wrote in message news:<lf6dnbvo67gtbp7cRVn-oQ@giganews.com>...
> > What kinds of life could thrive on the current surface of Mars?
> >
>
> It seems fairly certain that some types of cyanobacteria could gain a
> toehold on the ice caps. Thriving on carbon dioxide, they'd provide
> healthy competition for the improbable indigenous life forms while
> producing oxygen as a byproduct. Such a massive seeding would make for
> an interesting long-term experiment.

Trouble is the surface gravity.

CO2 = 44
02 = 32
N2 = 28
H2O = 18
CH4 = 16,

and p = mv = mkt(K). Put t(K) for any planet against escape
velocity, and remember this one works off the /high/ end of the
"normal curve."
  Mars appears to have lost not only much of its oxygen but also
carbon as the hydrides, any time they exist, and even as molecular
oxygen. 

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