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Comment by samplatt

Even low gravity will keep your atmosphere close to the surface. What causes atmospheric erosion is solar wind, and the reason Earth isn't affected (much) is that we still have a powerful magnetosphere, powered by our spinning molten iron core.

Mars has a magnetosphere but it's much weaker since its core is cooler and slower and smaller.

If we nuked the polar ice caps (or similar method to warm + evaporate them) it would generate enough of an atmosphere for the external pressure to be livable - maybe even breathable.

Since the magnetosphere is still weak, this atmosphere would be eroded over time, but we're talking tens of thousands of years or more.

parent samplatt 8 years ago

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