Increasing albedo of dark volcanic plain

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential for increasing the albedo of a dark volcanic plain on a lifeless, anoxic planet to mitigate excessive heating. Participants explore the implications of using pale sand and other materials to improve conditions for hydroponics and plant growth in a challenging environment.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose using pale sand to increase the albedo of the volcanic plain, potentially reducing daytime heating and improving nighttime cooling.
  • Others question the feasibility of using raw sand due to its tendency to settle into the irregularities of the lava surface, suggesting the need for a specific gauge material.
  • There is a discussion about the limitations of growing plants in an anoxic atmosphere, with some suggesting that indoor hydroponics or greenhouses with supplemental oxygen may be necessary.
  • A participant mentions the possibility of using glass wool as an alternative material for scattering, which could also serve as a soil replacement for plants.
  • Concerns are raised about the optimal size of the material used for albedo enhancement, with participants debating the balance between size and effectiveness.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the potential benefits of increasing albedo to mitigate heat but express differing views on the materials and methods to achieve this. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the optimal approach and specific material characteristics.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the dependence on the planet's anoxic conditions and the challenges posed by the existing lava landscape, which may affect the effectiveness of proposed solutions.

Nik_2213
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My heroes have found a barely-tolerable 'greenhouse' planet, the upper part of a vast volcanic shield having acceptable temperature and pressure (*). The anoxic atmosphere is N2+CO2, but holds enough H2O for nightly dew near the summit.

So, can condense that, use for hydroponics, irrigate green-houses etc. Electrolyse some water for oxygen for habitats and, yes, crops, as latter need it to respire through the night.

Beyond the volcanic massif, they have ready access to dune-fields of silica sand. In fact, they're smelting such to glazing panels...

There's a suggestion that long days' heating of dark, low-albedo volcanic plain surrounding the base might be 'improved', mitigated by scattering pale sand...

Clearly, 'raw' sand would tend to vanish down irregularities in the old lava, while 'ping-pong' or 'marble' spheroids may be too big, so wasteful...

Okay, the experimental approach is to lay out 'test plots' of different 'gauge' material, see how they compare. Is there a better way to estimate 'mini-max' benefit and predict the 'sweet spot' ?
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*) Ambient pressure is 'SCUBA', with some helium in the habs' mix to mitigate the several Bar...
 
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Nik_2213 said:
*) Ambient pressure is 'SCUBA', with some helium in the habs' mix to mitigate the several Bar...
What does this mean?

No life already on planet?
Water condensing on the lava would tend to react with it an vanish from the atmosphere in a weathering process. This would tend to make it more useful for (earth) plants.

Nik_2213 said:
There's a suggestion that long days' heating of dark, low-albedo volcanic plain surrounding the base might be 'improved', mitigated by scattering pale sand...
This means it get too hot?
Growing plants (if possible) on the surface would mitigate that.

Nik_2213 said:
way to estimate 'mini-max' benefit and predict the 'sweet spot' ?
Sweet spot for what?
 
Thank you for taking an interest in this topic.

The helium in the habs' breathing mix ? 'Technical' divers do this to mitigate oxygen / nitrogen toxicity.

Planet is anoxic, lifeless. That night dew shows there is still a meagre water-cycle. Not quite enough CO2+H20 for a 'runaway' greenhouse unto full Venusian. The next major shield eruption might achieve this, or perhaps the one after...

Yes, the old,, dark ;ava fields get too hot by day. Yes, growing plants would help. Snag, atmosphere is anoxic, and plants need some oxygen to respire in the dark. So, plants restricted to indoor hydroponics, or outdoor cloches / greenhouses with supplementary oxygen.

Spreading pale sand around would raise the local lava-field's albedo, staying cooler by day should mean faster cooling by night.

Snag, sand as-is would soon vanish down the old lava's irregularities. They already process silica sand to granules for 'ponics and greenhouse plantings. What size would be optimal for coverage ? Too small is lost, too large, whatever that size, is wasteful. So, how to figure the likely 'sweet-spot' ??
 
Google up 'glass wool'.
With some handwavium you can scatter it 'on the fly' too (look up the manufacturing process).
Also can serve as a soil-replacement for plants (though rock-wool is more frequently used for that purpose).
 
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