Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Scientists are crafting an ambitious plan to grow trees on Mars, an effort once deemed impossible. If successful, these trees would be the first to take root on the Red Planet. The Mars trees planting initiative is spearheaded by Robert Olszewski, a professor at Warsaw University of Technology in Poland.
The concept was outlined by Olszewski during his presentation at the “Astrobiology and the Future of Life Meeting” held at the Lunar Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
Olszewski and his team have been studying the surface energy balance on Mars, examining heat transfer through atmospheric circulation and the exchange of heat with the subsurface. The researchers concluded that for trees to grow, temperatures on Mars would need to rise significantly, requiring an increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.
Using data on temperature and pressure collected by NASA’s Viking landers in the 1970s, Olszewski’s team simulated the processes necessary for tree growth on Mars. “Here, we used a basic model to investigate greenhouse effects driven by increased CO2 and supplemented by artificial greenhouse warming,” Olszewski stated, as cited from Space.
Contrary to what might be expected, conditions necessary for plant growth are not found in Mars’ so-called “tropical regions.” Instead, Olszewski’s research points to the Hellas Basin as a more viable location for cultivating trees.
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The team assessed critical factors such as Mars’ overall pressure, required oxygen levels, acceptable carbon dioxide percentages, optimal temperatures for tree growth, and water availability.
“The current atmospheric conditions on Mars make the presence of life impossible. Requirements for plant growth on Mars have been considered within the framework of terraforming and low-pressure greenhouses,” said Olszewski.
The research primarily focused on temperature as a fundamental variable that influences the CO2 cycle and water formation. Data from NASA’s 1976 Viking landers were utilized to analyze the planet’s conditions.
To support tree growth, Mars’ temperature must be raised by several tens of degrees, while daily temperature fluctuations—known as diurnal temperature shifts—must be significantly reduced. Diurnal fluctuations refer to temperature changes that occur between day and night.
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Additionally, Olszewski noted that a growing season of at least 110 sols (Martian days) would be necessary for trees to thrive. For context, a sol on Mars lasts 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22 seconds—slightly longer than an Earth day.
The researchers observed that many of Earth’s tallest trees grow in tropical regions influenced by equatorial heat. “It can thus be hypothesized that Mars’ equatorial regions could be the site for the first trees,” Olszewski stated.
Mars’ significant orbital eccentricity means its southern hemisphere, including the Hellas Basin, experiences relatively warm summers. These summers are prolonged, as Mars’ orbital period equates to 1.9 Earth years. This long, warm season in the southern hemisphere presents an ideal window for planting trees.
“We discovered that the low elevation in the Hellas Basin creates the first conditions that could support tree growth,” Olszewski concluded.
(Raidi/Agung)
