Silica airgel material or enhance localized surface temperature of Mars

American researchers have suggested that the use of silica airgel material as \”insulation was\” greenhouse effect can be manufactured latitudes during the winter nighttime temperatures of minus 90 degrees Celsius Mars, the Mars so that some areas become livable. Researchers bold vision, this material is expected to become future human settlement of Mars construction materials used. American astronomer, science writer Carl Sagan had a bold vision gasification Mars Arctic ice cap, with the greenhouse effect to raise the temperature of Mars, so Mars become livable. But a study last year by NASA show that these ice water far enough for Mars form similar to Earth\’s atmosphere, the whole \”reform\” Mars hope. Researchers in Harvard University mechanism, proposed by NASA this \”local\” program, the silica airgel is 2-3 cm thick as \”insulation was\” greenhouse effect producing zone temperature increase. Experiments show that a similar foam translucent material allows visible light to pass through, while blocking harmful ultraviolet radiation; on Mars by sunlight, the material below temperatures up to 65 degrees Celsius, sufficient water so as to melt the ice. Research results have been published in the new issue of the British journal \”Nature astronomy.\” Co-author of the study, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist Laura Kai Beier said that this method of building a livable area so that people controlled, large-scale land \”reform\” Mars. The research team next plans to field test in a cool dry environment similar to Mars Atacama desert and the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys, and the like. However, the first author of the paper, environmental science and engineering assistant professor at Harvard Robin Wadsworth said the program also faces some engineering challenges, such as under the current climate models need to transport a large number of airgel to Mars, and through at least two Martian year (about four Earth years), in order to form a permanent liquid water area.