METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR TERRAFORMING MARTIAN ATMOSPHERIC DENSITY AND SURFACE TEMPERATURE

Abstract

A terraforming installation has a set of one or more bases to facilitate localized heating of a polar icecap in the presence of ambient flux of cosmic rays and muons. Each base includes equipment for deploying deuterium-containing particle fuel material over and onto the polar icecap, the material interacting with the ambient flux of cosmic rays and muons to generate kinetic-energy-containing products. The equipment may include any of one or more guns for projecting shells, orbital platforms releasing packages, and rovers dispersing the fuel material over designated areas of a polar ice cap. In one embodiment, a package of deuterium-containing particle fuel material is in the form of an artillery shell comprising a shell wall encasing the fuel material with a fuse and chemical explosive charge activated by the fuse to disperse the material at a targeted location and altitude. In another embodiment, local space heating units use micro-fusion reactions from disks coated with the particle fuel material to radiate thermal energy onto the icecap surface.

Claims

1. A terraforming installation having a set of one or more bases to facilitate localized heating of a polar icecap in the presence of ambient flux of cosmic rays and muons, each base comprising equipment for deploying deuterium-containing particle fuel material over and onto the polar icecap, the fuel material interacting with the ambient flux of cosmic rays and muons to generate kinetic-energy-containing products.

2. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the equipment comprises at least one gun and a set of shell projectiles to be shot from the at least one gun to target areas for fuel material dispersal.

3. The installation as in claim 2, wherein the shell projectiles contain a chemical explosive and a fuse configured to disperse the fuel material as a localized cloud at a specified altitude relative to the target areas.

4. The installation as in claim 1, wherein at least one base is a platform in an orbit capable of releasing fuel packages toward targeted areas over the polar icecap, each of the packages configured to disperse the fuel material as a localized cloud at a specified altitude over the targeted areas.

5. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the equipment comprises a local space heater set up at a designated location on the polar icecap, the space heater including a set of discs or plates coated with the deuterium-containing particle fuel material.

6. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the equipment comprises at least one rover directed from the base over a specified region of the polar ice cap, each rover dispersing the deuterium-containing particle fuel material onto the polar icecap as it travels.

7. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material comprises Li.sup.6D or Li.sup.6OD solid chips, pellets or powder.

8. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material comprises D.sub.2O.

9. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material comprises encapsulated D.sub.2.

10. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material also contains up to 20% by weight of added particles of fine sand or dust.

11. A package of deuterium-containing particle fuel material in the form of an artillery shell comprising a shell wall encasing the fuel material with a fuse and chemical explosive charge activated by the fuse.

12. The package as in claim 11, wherein the artillery shell further comprises a cartridge case containing a propellant for projecting the shell to a targeted location.

13. The package as in claim 11, wherein the fuse comprises a timer for activating the explosive charge at a specified time after projection of the shell.

14. The package as in claim 11, wherein the fuse comprises an atmospheric pressure detector for activating the explosive charge at a specified altitude over a targeted location.

15. The package as in claim 11, wherein the fuse comprises a location detection system for activating the explosive charge when the shell reaches a targeted location.

16. The package as in claim 11, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material comprises Li.sup.6D or Li.sup.6OD solid chips, pellets or powder.

17. The package as in claim 11, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material comprises D.sub.2O.

18. The package as in claim 11, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material comprises encapsulated D.sub.2.

19. The package as in claim 11, wherein the deuterium-containing particle fuel material also contains up to 20% by weight of added particles of fine sand or dust.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a terraforming base with micro-fusion fuel material deployment equipment for dispersing the fuel material over and onto the surface of a local area of a planetary polar icecap.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of one possible projectile package or shell for containing and dispersing the micro-fusion fuel material.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective of a localized space heating device that can be deployed from a terraforming base at key locations over a polar icecap surface.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a graph of cosmic ray flux at the Earth surface versus cosmic ray energy, after very significant cosmic ray absorption by Earth's atmosphere has occurred.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Several methods are available for distributing deuterium-containing fusion fuel material over one or both polar ice caps. With reference to FIG. 1, one technique is to project the fusion target material skyward, much like fireworks or artillery, from designated bases around the polar region(s). From such bases, one sends up the fuel material from artillery shells 11 loaded with the fusion target chips or pellets, which disperse before landing, e.g. by chemical explosion, as a localized cloud 13 of material that will settle over the ice cap surface 15. For example, a 120 mm stratosphere antiaircraft gun 10, or similar apparatus, can fire a series of projectiles 11, e.g. once every minute, 5-8 km high and up to 25-30 kilometers downrange in Mars' lower gravity and thinner atmosphere. Shell projection sites will be located near the edge or on top of the polar icecap, preferably (if such a site is available) at a location with higher altitude for achieving maximum range of the projectiles 11. For example, one might choose to situate bases for the guns 10 on suitable flat plateau regions 19 near the tops of a mountains 17. Any convenient method that brings the material to the desired altitude for dispersal can be employed.

[0021] Alternatively, packages 21 of fusion target material might be dropped from one or more satellite platforms 20, e.g. in a polar or near-polar orbit that brings such orbiting platforms over the icecaps. The satellite-dropped packages 21 enter the atmosphere and release the material as a localized cloud 25 at a predetermined altitude. Deploying a specialized fleet of such spacecraft, the dropped containers 21 of the fusion target chips or pellets could be dispersed by means of chemical explosion at some specified altitude that leads to wide distribution of the fusion target particles over the ice cap surface 15.

[0022] A variety of known pyrotechnic or artillery shell structures might be employed, the difference being in the content of the material to be dispersed. As seen in FIG. 2, one possible structure comprises a shell 31 having a shell wall 33 containing the micro-fusion fuel material 41 and attached at the back to a cartridge case 35 with solid-fuel propellant 37 for launching the shell to a targeted location. Within the shell wall 33, for example at or near its tip is a fuse 43 for triggering the release and dispersal of the material 41, e.g. by explosive means including a central ignition tube 44 leading to a shell-bursting charge 45. The fuse 43 can be based upon timing, barometric pressure, a determined position, or other known mechanisms to ensure that dispersal of the fuel material 41 occurs at an optimal altitude over the targeted location. Packages dropped from an orbiting platform will be similar, but will also include some form of heat shielding for atmospheric reentry, and any cartridge and propellant structure, if included, would be for steering the package to the target location.

[0023] Whether fired from a gun or dropped from an orbiting platform, the shells or other form of package should disperse the micro-fusion fuel elements at a desired altitude for optimal dispersal of the fuel material over the icecap surface. Various mechanisms for triggering a chemical explosion of the package could be employed. Triggering technologies can include any one or more of (1) a timer, (2) an altitude detector, (3) a geographical location detector, or (4) laser or microwave beam(s) directed at the package from one or more orbital or surface bases. Optimal altitude for dispersing the material may depend upon atmospheric conditions above the release site, as well as the presence of any habitations or critical infrastructure in the vicinity. Use of such triggering technologies would thus facilitate cooperation among the various parties participating in the various scientific, commercial, and terraforming operations by ensuring that the terraforming operations like the release of micro-fusion fuel doesn't adversely interfere with other planned activities, e.g. near surface bases.

[0024] In some cases, the desired elevation for dispersal could be at the surface itself, e.g. directly from a landing field. In that case, the package will have landed on the icecap before trigger technology is activated. The targeted release of packages from orbit or the chosen trajectories of shells fired from a gun will ensure suitable wide-range distribution of the packages or shells themselves, while the explosive trigger will locally disperse the micro-fusion fuel material from the packages at their various landing sites. Alternatively, the material might be sown by a suitable set of ground rovers 29 (possibly autonomously operated) that traverse the icecap 15 while distributing micro-fusion fuel material over the icecap surface along their respective routes. The rovers themselves might be powered by micro-fusion energy.

[0025] The fuel can be solid Li.sup.6D in powder, chip or pellet form, D.sub.2O ice crystals, or even droplets of (initially liquid) encapsulated D.sub.2. Because of the presence of water ice (in addition to frozen CO.sub.2) at the poles and the chemical reactivity of Li.sup.6D, the powder, chip or pellets may be coated to protect the Li.sup.6D material from direct exposure to water ice. Alternatively, Li.sup.6OD might be used as a fuel material. Packages may be shielded to reduce or eliminate premature fusion events (e.g. during transport through space or while in storage locations on Mars itself) until delivered to the desired locations. Soon after a projectile (or package dropped from a satellite) has reached a desired altitude, the package releases its target material to locally disperse it over an area above the polar ice cap. The target material will slowly settle over the ice cap surface and be exposed to both cosmic rays and their generated muons. As cosmic rays collide with the fusion targets and dust, they form muons that are captured by the deuterium and cause fusion. Other types of fusion reactions may also occur (e.g. D-T, using tritium generated by cosmic rays impacting the lithium; as well as Li.sup.6-D reactions from direct cosmic ray collisions). To assist muon formation, especially when D.sub.2O or D.sub.2 is used, the target package may contain up to 20% by weight of added particles of fine sand or dust. If encapsulated D.sub.2 is used, any leakage of D.sub.2 should preferably be slow enough to remain near the polar icecap region for a sufficient time to yield useful amounts of surface heating before dissipating.

[0026] The muon-catalyzed fusion reaction, where the muons are generated from cosmic rays, may be used to create successive miniature suns above the polar ice cap. The miniature suns shining upon the ice cap surface, a kind of external combustion in the sky, will heat the local area below leading to sublimation of the ice cap's CO.sub.2 dry ice. As such they will function in much the same way the sun does to provide heat by infrared radiation. Even after the fusion target material has settled onto the ice cap surface it will continue to be exposed to cosmic ray and muon collisions until the fuel material is completely exhausted. As the dry ice sublimates, the target material (except for D.sub.2 material, if used) will continue to remain on the surface.

[0027] Once water ice is exposed, the water will likewise be sublimated until the atmospheric pressure has reached a sufficient level for melting to begin. Thereafter, the form of target material being used can switch to chips, pellets or capsules that will float upon the liquid water after settling, and continue being exposed to cosmic rays and muons.

[0028] With reference to FIG. 3, yet another method is to set up a series of micro-fusion space heaters 51 at various locations or bases over the polar ice caps. Each space heater 51 could comprise a series of a dozen plates or disks 53 slid onto a rod 55, and alternating with spacers 56, that may have tiny chips of Li.sup.6D, or other pellets of fusion target material 57, bonded to those plates or disks 53. The Li.sup.6D chip material 57 may be coated with an inert material to protect it against adverse chemical reaction during manufacture, transport and in the launch vehicle. The plates 53 containing the fusion material should also be shielded against premature interactions with cosmic rays during its long travel to Mars, and until they are set up at the polar cap sites themselves. When subject to cosmic ray collisions, the disks become hot from the resulting fusion reactions and radiate the heat onto the polar ice cap.

[0029] Additionally, for optimum dispersal of the heat to a larger area of the ice cap, the kinetic energy of the fusion products can be transferred as heat to a metal lining or tubes of water coupled to a heat exchanger laid out over the ice cap surface. The optimum size of the tiny chips of fusion fuel material and the spacing between them can be determined with routine experimentation to ensure an adequate chain of fusion events that generate useful heat without runaway fusion.

[0030] Despite the lack of an atmosphere or significant water on the Moon, various aspects of the method and its associated equipment can still be tested and then optimized at lunar facilities before being deployed on Mars. For example, micro-fusion fuel material can be dispersed on the lunar surface and the amount of surface temperatures increase measured relative to control areas without such material. Micro-fusion space heaters could likewise be tested in a lunar environment. The Moon provides a convenient site for testing because of the ability to return to Earth, if needed, in days instead of months, and because real-time interaction with engineers and scientists on Earth is still possible without the typical 20 minute or longer time delays involved in communications with Mars. Gaining experience, and demonstrating safe operation, from such test operations on the Moon will allow these new techniques to be confirmed and perfected before committing to their deployment on Mars or any other planet or moon in need of terraforming.