Martian Toxicity

[iancampbell]

I think it's worth mentioning another problem with terraforming Mars. Earth's rotational axis inclination is fairly stable; it doesn't shift more than 2 or 3 degrees, IIRC. However, the reason for this is probably stabilisation by the Moon; and this doesn't apply to Mars. As a result, Mars's axial tilt is thought to vary from 0 to about 60 deg. However, the rate of this change is in the region of 100,000 to a million years for the full cycle.

Over the ten thousand year history of OA, the change might well be noticeable.

[Drashner1]

Given OA tech, it would likely be quite doable to use mass-stream based dynamic compression members to 'reset' the planetary axis from time to time. Or the terraformers could gradually re-engineer the ecology to adjust to changing conditions. Or design it to evolve over time to adapt to the changing conditions as the axis moves back and forth.

Todd