By Jeremy Parrish (Communications – University of Utah)
Earth’s heat is a fundamental building block of our planet. Radioactive decay formed the core and layers of the Earth, and the excess heat is what geothermal energy is produced from. Mars was formed in a very similar way to Earth with a core, mantle, and crust. For decades, countries around the world have been looking there for the first extraterrestrial colonization. One of the many obstacles for hopeful settlers is the need for power and heat on these barren landscapes. Some geologists and other scientists theorize that geothermal energy may be the answer. They suggest that utilizing heat extraction technologies is the key to humans living on Mars!
The Red Planet’s surface is riddled with remnants of tectonic and geothermal activity. Home to volcanoes over 17 miles in height, ancient geothermal manifestations prove that it was geothermally active long ago. Mars is significantly less active than Earth in the modern era; however, there are several indications that geothermal energy might still be accessible under the regolith.
There are a few main reasons why scientists believe in Martian geothermal viability. First, the Red Planet has a broad range of terrestrial heat flow. While there have been no concrete experiments, the heat flow is theorized to vary depending on the geographic region. This is due to tectonism, found in faulting, folding, and uplifting of tectonic plates, and “young” volcanism, volcanic activity believed to have occurred within the last 100 million years. These events and the diversity in temperature might prove a good environment for geothermal energy on the planet. Scientists have determined that Martian heat flow fluctuates between high and low temperatures, and with enough discovery, we will find areas that are hot enough for utilization.
Scientists have recorded several “Marsquakes” (Martian earthquakes) in areas that are theorized to contain consistent seismic activity. These geologic events imply that there is heat generated under the surface by friction and pressure. In order to test Mars for geothermal activity, some scientists have proposed shallow drilling tests across the surface of the planet to locate regions of “young” volcanism.
Mars’s surface is unlivable due to the thin atmosphere; deeper than that, temperatures in the crust of the planet are not hot enough to utilize for geothermal heating or electricity generation. However, a phenomenon known as magmatic intrusion, where pressurized magma from the planet’s mantle bursts outward, has previously allowed planetary heat to escape through the crust. Geologists believe that scientists can recreate magmatic intrusions by piercing the mantle of Mars to extract geothermal energy from the crust.
Low average surface temperatures (-63° C) can be survived using geothermal fluids (30-50° C) if scientists can figure out how to access Martian geothermal energy. Conventional heating is the best and most probable way to utilize the planet’s heat; any other uses for geothermal energy, like electricity production, are purely theoretical due to a lack of testing.
If humanity wants to sustainably live on Mars, the potential for geothermal energy is truly out of this world!
So, why is geothermal important for Mars? First, there are very few options that will be effective in that planet’s environment; there is very little wind on Mars, solar power generation would be ineffective due dust storms and cold temperatures harming solar panel infrastructure, and nuclear energy requires a substantial amount of time to build the infrastructure to operate. And while nuclear is one of the most optimistic possibilities to generate electricity, scientists believe that geothermal energy is a pivotal step towards the planet’s colonization. Not only can it provide heating, but it is renewable and actually more efficient than it is on Earth; since low gravity and atmospheric pressure means that the rocks are less dense and more permeable!
If humanity wants to sustainably live on Mars, the potential for geothermal energy is truly out of this world!
Photo credits:
Top: Source – Space.com 12/12/20, “On Mars, internal heat may have powered habitable hotspots long ago,” written by Mike Wall. Cited credits: (Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. 3D rendered and colored by Lujendra Ojha)
In text: Source – universetoday.com, 7/25/17, “Ancient Volcanoes on Mars Could Have Been the Place for Life,” written by Matt Williams. Cited credits: (Image of young volcanoes at the base of Coprates Chasma on Mars, obtained by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
REFERENCES:
Cathcart, Robert (2023). Powering the Red Planet: Solar energy innovations for Mars exploration. EEPower. https://eepower.com/industry-articles/powering-the-red-planet-solar-energy-innovations-for-mars-exploration/#
Dorminey, Bruce (2016). Why Geothermal Energy Will Be Key To Mars Colonization. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2016/09/30/why-geothermal-energy-will-be-key-to-mars-colonization/
John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. (n.d.). Crism Web Site. https://crism.jhuapl.edu/science/geology/physiography.php
Morgan, Paul (2009). Geothermal energy on Mars. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03629-3_11
Wei-Haas, Maya (2019). First active fault zone found on Mars. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/first-active-fault-system-found-mars2
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