Air
Settlers on Mars will depend on manufactured air for breathing, since the planet's atmosphere is too thin and lacks Oxygen.
Standard air on Earth is composed of Nitrogen (78%) and Oxygen (21%), with traces of other gases at 101,3 kPa (14,7 psi) of pressure.
Contents
Low pressure effects
The human breathing works best at terrestrial sea level with an air pressure of 101,3 kilopascal (kPa). The air pressure on the Mount Everest is only 34,0 kPa.
In such high altitudes of the terrestrial atmosphere the air pressure drops to dangerous values, resulting in acute mountain sickness (AMS) and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).
Oxygen reduction for fire prevention
The terrestrial atmosphere contains 21% oxygen, which is the value that human beings have adapted to during a long evolution process. But there is some tolerance. Under normal air pressure persons can live and work with down to 13% oxygen. The danger of fire is much lower in a low oxygen air. With 15% oxygen even paper can no longer burn with a flame. [1]
Heat transfer
Air convection is one of the main heat transfer mechanisms. Reduced density air has less heat carrying capacity, and added ventilation is required for work in low density air. Most plants function more efficiently if there is air movement to remove heat form their surface.
Open Issues
- What air pressure, combined with different oxygen levels, is required for persons to survive?
- What air pressure, combined with different oxygen levels, is required for persons to live and work?
- What are the results from the Biosphere 2 experiment? Ideas for mitigation and/or compensation?
- What is known about the behaviour of dusty air under low gravity?
