The low gravity of Mars is a major cause of its thin atmosphere. The high velocity end of the molecular speed distribution of the atmospheric gases can exceed the escape velocity, so the atmosphere "evaporates" into space. Heating the atmosphere makes the problem far worse. Temperature is a measure of specific energy in a gas which is a funtion of molecular velocity.
I wonder if this problem defeats the whole notion of terraforming.
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The low gravity of Mars is a major cause of its thin atmosphere. The high velocity end of the molecular speed distribution of the atmospheric gases can exceed the escape velocity, so the atmosphere "evaporates" into space. Heating the atmosphere makes the problem far worse. Temperature is a measure of specific energy in a gas which is a funtion of molecular velocity. I wonder if this problem defeats the whole notion of terraforming.