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Two Venus colonies

 
 
neil
 
Reply Fri 1 Oct, 2004 02:31 pm
There is likely a layer of the upper Venus atmosphere where flying algae would find the temperature optimum. Can we genetically alter algae to fly? The sulphuric acid clouds are at somewhat lower altitudes, so the acid is not a problem for the algae. The algae could be supplied water by crashing small comets near the Equator of Venus. This would also supply the trace minerals that the algae need. If the algae used one percent of the solar energy that falls on the upper atmosphere of Venus to covert carbon dioxide to free oxygen, the carbon dioxide would fall from 90% to perhaps 0.04% in 60,000 years. That is a long time to send a weekly comet and seed with algae perhaps monthly, but there is a fair chance of success, if we do a few other things. The prevailing winds in the Venus upper atmosphere are toward the poles, so the algae will use considerable solar energy to avoid being sucked into the polar regions, where there is not enough light for efficient photosynthesis because it shaded by the cloud of flying algae closer to the equator. The weakened algae would then be sucked down the polar downdraft. The air is compressed as it descends. Compressing air makes the air hot, converting the algae to algae charcoal = very fine carbon dust. We need to keep the polar down draft from wandering and put up multiple 1000 mile snow fences, to keep the surface wind from blowing the algae charcoal toward the equator. We will crash a weekly small iron asteroid at each pole, beginning perhaps the end of the first century. The iron dust will mix with the algae charcoal, to help hold it in place and to absorb most of the free oxygen, otherwise the dunes of algae charcoal will catch fire and return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Iron dust will rust at less than 1% oxygen, if water vapor is present. We may have to provide extra comets to keep the polar humidity high enough to rust the iron dust. Unfortunately sulphuric acid really likes water, so some our comet water will dilute the sulphuric acid. After about 10,000 years; sooner if we shade the polar regions with million square mile sun shades; it will rain sulphuric acid on the polar regions, making mud out of the algae charcoal. We need to instal an impervious layer over the polar regions to keep the acid from sinking deep into the ground. The iron dust won't be needed except the mounds that get no acid rain. Perhaps once per thousand years, we need to put another impervious layer over the region where the algae mud is. Each successive layer will have lower acid content. Eventually = 10,000 years? nearly all the acid in the atmosphere of Venus will be in the the impervious layers near the North and South poles. The polar regions will likely be a mile higher than the rest of Venus due to the thick layer of algae charcoal, acid and iron oxide = rust. Most of Venus will still be almost as hot as now, but the polar regions may average 100 degrees c = 212 f.
We can perhaps genetically produce sentient beings that can tolerate this temperature, naked at 50 times Earth's atmospheric pressure at 90% carbon dioxide and 2 % free oxygen and at perhaps 2% humidity. It will be difficult to get the polar regions much cooler even at .04% carbon dioxide, as Venus receives almost double the solar energy that Earth receives, and it will be difficult to assure that hot winds never blow into the polar regions from middle latitudes. The flying algae cloud will thin when the carbon dioxide is less than 1%, allowing more light and heat to reach the polar regions, but that is necessary to grow photosynthesis crops in the polar region. Please embellish, comment or refute. Neil
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DrewDad
 
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Reply Fri 1 Oct, 2004 03:45 pm
If we have the technology and political will to do what you propose, then why not filter out some of the sunlight? Use a giant parasol to shade the planet, with some capacity for electrical generation. Counteract the solar wind and light pressure by beaming microwave energy to the surface.

I also seem to recall a suggestion of sending in meteorites of calcium (?) to bind with the carbon dioxide. Problem is it is an exothermic reaction, so you're generating more heat.
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neil
 
  1  
Reply Fri 1 Oct, 2004 05:53 pm
A giant parasol will cool Venus, but it needs to be thousands of miles in diameter and/or be about 100 miles from the surface to be efficient. Ie when Venus gets between the Earth and the sun, the shading is only a few parts per million even though Venus is almost as big as the Earth. Because of the extremely slow rotation of Venus; geo-stationary radius is millions of miles instead of about 28,000 miles for Earth.
metallic = elemental calcium would combine directly with carbon dioxide to form calcium oxide and soot, but we know of no meteorites with significant elemental calcium.
Calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide (likely common in meterorites) will work but at least a trace of water is needed as a catalyst. Venus may be too hot for the reaction to occur without the giant parasol.
The microwave beam would produce light pressure which would oppose the gravitational pull of Venus on the giant parasol. The rectenna would have to have very high efficiency or the beam would heat Venus worse than the calcium.
Deflecting the solar wind would reduce radiation exposure of colonists and technicians in ballons in the upper atmosphere of Venus and on the surface when and if we get the surface livable. Neil
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DrewDad
 
  1  
Reply Fri 1 Oct, 2004 08:21 pm
I think the author of the calcium idea was suggesting using lunar material. (and my recollection could be mistaken)

Admittedly, the parasol would be a brute-force approach, but I believe you need to reduce insolation in some manner. And Venus' albedo is already very high.

Also, the parasol would need to stay between Venus and the Sun, not a geosynchronous orbit. In fact, I think this would require a retrograde orbit even further out than geosynchronous.

Alternately, you could orbit it anywhere and have it between Venus and the sun any amount of time you wish.
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