Settings formed by Uncontrolled Terraforming of Venus and Mars via Portals

If two circular portals of 2 meter (arbitrary) diameter were created allowing uninhibited flow between surface atmospheres of Venus and Mars, what would be the environmental effects on the two planets?

My thought process was inspired partially by both xkcd and the games Portal and Portal 2. Considering that one must obtain the necessary resources for terraforming a planet either from that planet, a neighbouring astronomical body, or extra dimensional sources, if the portals could exist, they would be a useful means to provide heat/atmosphere/energy to Mars, while venting it to form habitable pockets/domes on Venus. It would be much easier, for instance, to manufacture insulating tiles for Venus on Mars. I was trying to plan out a short story, based on a catastrophic failure of this system, such that transport though the portals is completely unregulated. Just a step by step explanation of how it occurred and what happened would be exciting, unique, and lead to beautiful images in an "epic storm scouring away the surface of the planet" way. It could also lead to an epic adventure of "close that last Earth/Mars portal before the building it is in fails.

Portal definition:

2 circular 2 meter diameter surfaces, each are fixed to a geostationary (there might a better term for that) point on each planet. Both oriented perpendicular to the planet's surface and fixed in place (think stargate) Orientation relative to the axes/equator/etc of the planet is unspecified and can be chosen at your discretion. Instantaneous transport occurs through the portal in a way that can be modeled as a infinitely thin, indestructible orifice plate. Transport through the portal is free and has no effect on the matter passing through Velocity of particles after, passing through relative to the discharge portal, is the same as it was prior to passing through, relative to the entrance portal. Acceleration/velocity of the two portals relative to each other is technobabbled away.

By my rough calculations the pressure on Venus at the surface is 15000 times higher than that on Mars. As a result about 1.5 tons of air should be going through the portal per second. Due to the composition of the surface of Mars, this should easily cause widespread dust storms. It is, however, negligible to the mass/motion of the planet. It should be able to effect the atmospheres of both planets within a year (reasonable time to get a disaster team there assuming that portals cannot be used to get there for some reason). The finer details of the effects on the planets are more difficult to predict, which is the reason for the question.

Note: I have been using this scenario as a writing/thought experiment with no intent to ever publish anything on this subject. Any concepts developed here are public domain.

posted about 10 years ago

kaine‭

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