Green is Urth Redux

Gerry Quinn · 12 Jan 2011, 18:40 · from 2011-January.txt.gz

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From: gerryq at indigo.ie (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:40:48 -0000
Subject: (urth) Green is Urth Redux
References: <SNT123-W495DB324F6639B57126EFACFF10 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <61245187923142C7803C895BF1FC326C@jill>


From: "Lee Berman" <severiansola at hotmail.com>
>
>>Jeff Wilson: What does the technology-based power source provide that an 
>>enclosed terrarium could not?
>
> We take it for granted and ignore that a terrarium relies on the presence 
> of earth's massive gravity
> field which allows a thick atmospheric blanket to surround the terrarium. 
> Atmospheric pressure keeps water
> from boiling off into space, regulates temperature, filters harsh 
> sunlight, etc. etc.
>
> The power source could duplicate Urth's gravity allowing an atmosphere on 
> a small planetary body. Or it could
> create a forcefield to hold in the atmosphere, I guess. But such a power 
> supply would be great and would have
> to be maintained. I get the impression that humanity in Urth's time is 
> occupied with matters other than
> maintaining the massive amounts of energy it would require to make plant 
> life habitable on a moon-sized Lune.

How much power does it take to maintain an atmospheric-retention forcefield? 
Are some models more efficient than others?

But there is always the more lo-tech option of giant pressurised 
greenhouses, dome-shaped or otherwise.  Maintaining the integrity of such a 
physical structure requires NO POWER AT ALL.  And the temperature inside 
will be similar to that of Urth (warmer if the builders consider it 
appropriate).


> Maybe Lune is planet-sized. It is a simple, elegant solution to the 
> puzzle. Not without its own problems, but
> hey. No such thing as a problem-free theory. We'll each keep supporting 
> the solution we like at a gut-level and
> keep sniping and hacking at the one which makes us feel icky inside.

An Urth-sized Lune is silly in too many ways to count, as well as being 
effectively contradicted in the text.


> Ain't no universally "right answer". If there were, we'd all just choose 
> that one and move on. Our choices are
> based on emotion. There is no escaping this truth. Resistance is futile. 
> :- ).

There's no one write answer.  But there are countless wrong answers.

- Gerry Quinn

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