Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]


Groups > rec.arts.sf.written > #424852 > unrolled thread

Revisit issue of growing things on Mars

Started by"a425couple" <a425couple@hotmail.com>
First post2015-10-17 14:44 -0700
Last post2015-10-22 09:59 -0700
Articles 20 on this page of 127 — 30 participants

Back to article view | Back to rec.arts.sf.written


Contents

  Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "a425couple" <a425couple@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 14:44 -0700
    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-18 00:37 +0000
      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2015-10-17 22:23 -0700
        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Gutless Umbrella Carrying Sissy <taustinca@gmail.com> - 2015-10-17 22:47 -0700
          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-18 17:24 -0600
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 00:51 +0000
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-18 21:12 -0400
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 02:02 +0000
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2015-10-18 20:02 -0700
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2015-10-18 23:34 -0400
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 04:32 +0000
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2015-10-19 11:28 -0400
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 18:44 +0000
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2015-10-20 03:05 -0700
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 04:31 +0000
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2015-10-19 16:50 -0400
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-18 23:16 -0400
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 04:34 +0000
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-19 12:25 +0800
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Gutless Umbrella Carrying Sissy <taustinca@gmail.com> - 2015-10-19 01:34 -0700
        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-19 01:01 -0400
          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Lawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net> - 2015-10-19 01:25 -0400
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2015-10-19 06:00 +0000
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-19 00:15 -0600
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Lawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net> - 2015-10-19 02:39 -0400
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2015-10-19 05:32 -0700
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2015-10-19 13:21 -0700
          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-19 13:22 +0000
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars petertrei@gmail.com - 2015-10-19 08:04 -0700
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-19 17:13 -0700
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars David Johnston <David@block.net> - 2015-10-19 18:31 -0600
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-20 02:17 +0000
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars David Johnston <David@block.net> - 2015-10-19 20:47 -0600
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-20 04:03 +0000
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-20 00:33 -0400
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com> - 2015-10-20 23:23 +0000
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-20 17:55 -0600
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars mzenier@eskimo.com (Mark Zenier) - 2015-10-20 17:00 +0000
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2015-10-20 20:38 -0700
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-21 04:06 +0000
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-21 04:09 -0400
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-21 13:19 +0000
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-21 18:17 -0400
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-21 23:31 +0000
                              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-21 23:22 -0400
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2015-10-21 20:01 -0700
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-22 03:38 +0000
                              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2015-10-22 17:11 -0700
                                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-22 17:38 -0700
                                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-22 22:28 -0600
                                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2015-10-26 23:16 -0400
                                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-23 14:48 +0800
                                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars petertrei@gmail.com - 2015-10-23 08:07 -0700
                                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-23 15:33 +0000
                                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars petertrei@gmail.com - 2015-10-23 10:10 -0700
                                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2015-10-23 19:07 -0700
                                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Larry Moore <larry@wightman.ca> - 2015-10-24 12:56 +0000
                                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2015-10-24 10:57 -0500
                                              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Anthony Frost <Vulch@vulch.org> - 2015-10-25 10:40 +0100
                                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2015-10-25 17:23 -0400
                                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2015-10-25 16:41 -0500
                                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2015-10-25 22:32 +0000
                                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-26 10:39 +0800
                                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2015-10-25 21:47 -0500
                                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-27 10:42 +0800
                                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-23 00:57 +0000
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2015-10-26 23:12 -0400
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2015-10-28 20:33 -0500
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-19 23:33 -0400
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-20 15:00 +0800
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars David Johnston <David@block.net> - 2015-10-20 01:09 -0600
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-24 05:17 -0400
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2015-10-24 10:43 -0500
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-24 13:27 -0400
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-25 10:45 -0400
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-24 16:01 +0000
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Joy Beeson <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> - 2015-10-24 23:16 -0300
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-26 10:41 +0800
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Bill Gill <billnews2@cox.net> - 2015-10-25 08:37 -0500
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-25 14:10 +0000
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2015-10-25 09:43 -0500
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2015-10-25 11:19 -0500
                              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Bill Gill <billnews2@cox.net> - 2015-10-25 11:42 -0500
                                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-26 10:43 +0800
                              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Larry Moore <larry@wightman.ca> - 2015-10-25 18:18 +0000
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-25 12:54 -0600
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-25 12:07 -0400
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2015-10-25 17:32 -0400
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-25 19:49 -0400
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-26 10:47 +0800
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-26 03:52 -0600
                              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-27 10:44 +0800
          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-19 17:10 -0700
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2015-10-19 22:02 -0400
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2015-10-20 05:07 +0000
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-20 01:27 -0400
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2015-10-20 21:17 +0000
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2015-10-20 03:00 -0700
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-20 11:20 -0700
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars petertrei@gmail.com - 2015-10-20 11:49 -0700
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-21 03:13 -0700
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars petertrei@gmail.com - 2015-10-21 08:21 -0700
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2015-10-21 17:29 -0700
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2015-10-21 22:05 -0500
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2015-10-26 23:03 -0400
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2015-10-27 08:37 -0400
                          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2015-10-27 19:28 -0400
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Larry Moore <larry@wightman.ca> - 2015-10-28 20:28 +0000
                            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2015-10-29 06:07 -0400
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Bannister <robban@clubtelco.com> - 2015-10-22 09:03 +0800
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2015-10-21 21:17 -0700
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2015-10-25 17:42 -0400
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2015-10-26 23:05 -0400
                  Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars mzenier@eskimo.com (Mark Zenier) - 2015-10-21 15:55 +0000
                    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "nuny@bid.nes" <Alien8752@gmail.com> - 2015-10-22 23:19 -0700
                      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2015-10-24 02:16 -0500
                        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-24 14:33 -0700
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Bill Gill <billnews2@cox.net> - 2015-10-21 08:13 -0500
        Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2015-10-19 16:42 -0400
          Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-19 17:15 -0700
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2015-10-19 20:46 -0400
            Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2015-10-20 02:18 +0000
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2015-10-20 11:15 -0700
              Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2015-10-20 18:00 -0600
                Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars William Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com> - 2015-10-20 20:44 -0400
      Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars "artyw2@yahoo.com" <artyw2@yahoo.com> - 2015-10-20 14:51 -0700
    Re: Revisit issue of growing things on Mars Des <desmondkavanagh@gmail.com> - 2015-10-22 09:59 -0700

Page 2 of 7 — ← Prev page 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 7  Next page →


#424934

FromWilliam Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com>
Date2015-10-19 01:01 -0400
Message-ID<n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#424877
Robert Carnegie wrote:
> On Sunday, 18 October 2015 01:45:12 UTC+1, Dorothy J Heydt  wrote:
>> In article <mvufha01bt9@news3.newsguy.com>,
>> a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> Revisit issue of growing things on Mars. 
>>> A while back we discussed this topic.  It seems 
>>> to have ended with someone saying the perchlorates 
>>> would make it impossible. 
>>> Here is a different view:
>>> 
>>> http://modernfarmer.com/2015/10/can-you-grow-plants-on-mars/
>>> "----There's just one problem that Weir didn't address, because he didn't 
>>> know about when he wrote the novel: Martian soil has perchlorates, 
>>> a type of salt that's hazardous to the human body. The perchlorates 
>>> would either make it more difficult for plants to grow, or would make 
>>> the plants toxic. The solution is actually very simple, but it wasn't 
>>> included in the book or movie. "You can literally just rinse them out 
>>> of the soil," Weir says. "Wash the soil, soak it in water, and the water 
>>> would wash the perchlorates away. -----"
>> 
>> And where do they go after that?  Into the newly built lakes or
>> seas?
>
> I think it's just a salt (a compound of positive and negative
> charged ions).  So, you can evaporate the water - to recover it - 
> leaving the salt behind.  Just don't put it on your dinner.
>
> How hazardous are we talking anyway?  Table salt is 
> not good for us in excess.  But salt - sodium chloride
> (or separate sources of sodium and chloride, I suppose)
> is necessary to us.
>
Perchlorates are strong oxidizers.  The most unstable will detonate if 
they're fairly dry and you mix them with something that can burn.  Like 
dirt.  If you extract a slurry from soil, and concentrate it...I don't 
think that's a good thing.

Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
out the salts before planting.

In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
fertile as it originally was.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424935

FromLawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net>
Date2015-10-19 01:25 -0400
Message-ID<klv82b5qo1dkdca7ggqud0q89bjl2f95en@reader80.eternal-september.org>
In reply to#424934
On Mon, 19 Oct 2015 01:01:16 -0400, William Vetter
<mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:

>Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
>course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
>concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
>out the salts before planting.
>
>In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
>because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
>automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
>with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
>fertile as it originally was.

It may also have brought down the Hohokam Empire.




-- 
My webpage is at http://www.watt-evans.com

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424936

Fromted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>)
Date2015-10-19 06:00 +0000
Message-ID<d8jf7sFeka0U1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#424935
In article <klv82b5qo1dkdca7ggqud0q89bjl2f95en@reader80.eternal-september.org>,
Lawrence Watt-Evans  <lwe@sff.net> wrote:
>On Mon, 19 Oct 2015 01:01:16 -0400, William Vetter
><mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
>>course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
>>concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
>>out the salts before planting.
>>
>>In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
>>because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
>>automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
>>with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
>>fertile as it originally was.
>
>It may also have brought down the Hohokam Empire.
>

It wasn't just people laughing at the name?
-- 
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424937

FromGreg Goss <gossg@gossg.org>
Date2015-10-19 00:15 -0600
Message-ID<d8jg5hFeqgiU2@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#424936
ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) wrote:
>Lawrence Watt-Evans  <lwe@sff.net> wrote:

>>>[cropland salination]
>>
>>It may also have brought down the Hohokam Empire.
>
>It wasn't just people laughing at the name?

I thought it was Letterman who pioneered something-cam names.
-- 
We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424938

FromLawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net>
Date2015-10-19 02:39 -0400
Message-ID<6q392bdc6eu74j91bnbs2ol3aq70pesjh8@reader80.eternal-september.org>
In reply to#424936
On 19 Oct 2015 06:00:28 GMT, ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan
<tednolan>) wrote:

>In article <klv82b5qo1dkdca7ggqud0q89bjl2f95en@reader80.eternal-september.org>,
>Lawrence Watt-Evans  <lwe@sff.net> wrote:
>>On Mon, 19 Oct 2015 01:01:16 -0400, William Vetter
>><mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
>>>course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
>>>concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
>>>out the salts before planting.
>>>
>>>In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
>>>because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
>>>automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
>>>with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
>>>fertile as it originally was.
>>
>>It may also have brought down the Hohokam Empire.
>
>It wasn't just people laughing at the name?

Naah, generally the people who own all the trade routes and have all
the money and weapons don't get openly laughed at.

When a new city was built on the ruins of the Hohokam capital, though,
they did decide to call it something else:  Phoenix.





-- 
My webpage is at http://www.watt-evans.com

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424942

FromRobert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com>
Date2015-10-19 05:32 -0700
Message-ID<58e7b91c-3448-46ab-958e-298543d96088@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#424938
On Monday, 19 October 2015 07:39:17 UTC+1, Lawrence Watt-Evans  wrote:
> On 19 Oct 2015 06:00:28 GMT, ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan
> <tednolan>) wrote:
> 
> >In article <klv82b5qo1dkdca7ggqud0q89bjl2f95en@reader80.eternal-september.org>,
> >Lawrence Watt-Evans  <lwe@sff.net> wrote:
> >>On Mon, 19 Oct 2015 01:01:16 -0400, William Vetter
> >><mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
> >>>course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
> >>>concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
> >>>out the salts before planting.
> >>>
> >>>In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
> >>>because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
> >>>automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
> >>>with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
> >>>fertile as it originally was.
> >>
> >>It may also have brought down the Hohokam Empire.
> >
> >It wasn't just people laughing at the name?
> 
> Naah, generally the people who own all the trade routes and have all
> the money and weapons don't get openly laughed at.
> 
> When a new city was built on the ruins of the Hohokam capital, though,
> they did decide to call it something else:  Phoenix.

Oh!  I thought we were in Oz - not AZ.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424968

FromKevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com>
Date2015-10-19 13:21 -0700
Message-ID<c234af88-86bf-4214-8fd5-3d65a815b4b1@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#424938
On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 2:39:17 AM UTC-4, Lawrence Watt-Evans wrote:
> On 19 Oct 2015 06:00:28 GMT, ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan
> <tednolan>) wrote:
> 
> >In article <klv82b5qo1dkdca7ggqud0q89bjl2f95en@reader80.eternal-september.org>,
> >Lawrence Watt-Evans  <lwe@sff.net> wrote:
> >>On Mon, 19 Oct 2015 01:01:16 -0400, William Vetter
> >><mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
> >>>course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
> >>>concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
> >>>out the salts before planting.
> >>>
> >>>In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
> >>>because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
> >>>automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
> >>>with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
> >>>fertile as it originally was.
> >>
> >>It may also have brought down the Hohokam Empire.
> >
> >It wasn't just people laughing at the name?
> 
> Naah, generally the people who own all the trade routes and have all
> the money and weapons don't get openly laughed at.
> 
> When a new city was built on the ruins of the Hohokam capital, though,
> they did decide to call it something else:  Phoenix.
> 

The Spring Training ballpark in Mesa is named after them.

I knew the name, just not what it meant, until a few minutes ago.

Kevin R

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424944

Fromdjheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
Date2015-10-19 13:22 +0000
Message-ID<nwGyHG.1095@kithrup.com>
In reply to#424934
In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>Robert Carnegie wrote:
>> On Sunday, 18 October 2015 01:45:12 UTC+1, Dorothy J Heydt  wrote:
>>> In article <mvufha01bt9@news3.newsguy.com>,
>>> a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Revisit issue of growing things on Mars. 
>>>> A while back we discussed this topic.  It seems 
>>>> to have ended with someone saying the perchlorates 
>>>> would make it impossible. 
>>>> Here is a different view:
>>>> 
>>>> http://modernfarmer.com/2015/10/can-you-grow-plants-on-mars/
>>>> "----There's just one problem that Weir didn't address, because he didn't 
>>>> know about when he wrote the novel: Martian soil has perchlorates, 
>>>> a type of salt that's hazardous to the human body. The perchlorates 
>>>> would either make it more difficult for plants to grow, or would make 
>>>> the plants toxic. The solution is actually very simple, but it wasn't 
>>>> included in the book or movie. "You can literally just rinse them out 
>>>> of the soil," Weir says. "Wash the soil, soak it in water, and the water 
>>>> would wash the perchlorates away. -----"
>>> 
>>> And where do they go after that?  Into the newly built lakes or
>>> seas?
>>
>> I think it's just a salt (a compound of positive and negative
>> charged ions).  So, you can evaporate the water - to recover it - 
>> leaving the salt behind.  Just don't put it on your dinner.
>>
>> How hazardous are we talking anyway?  Table salt is 
>> not good for us in excess.  But salt - sodium chloride
>> (or separate sources of sodium and chloride, I suppose)
>> is necessary to us.
>>
>Perchlorates are strong oxidizers.  The most unstable will detonate if 
>they're fairly dry and you mix them with something that can burn.  Like 
>dirt.  If you extract a slurry from soil, and concentrate it...I don't 
>think that's a good thing.
>
>Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
>course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
>concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
>out the salts before planting.
>
>In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
>because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
>automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
>with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
>fertile as it originally was.

I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
perchlorates were involved.

-- 
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424949

Frompetertrei@gmail.com
Date2015-10-19 08:04 -0700
Message-ID<88b16bb4-3402-4eeb-9e3a-cb8472ba2fa9@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#424944
On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 9:30:07 AM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
> >Robert Carnegie wrote:
> >> On Sunday, 18 October 2015 01:45:12 UTC+1, Dorothy J Heydt  wrote:
> >>> In article <mvufha01bt9@news3.newsguy.com>,
> >>> a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>>> Revisit issue of growing things on Mars. 
> >>>> A while back we discussed this topic.  It seems 
> >>>> to have ended with someone saying the perchlorates 
> >>>> would make it impossible. 
> >>>> Here is a different view:
> >>>> 
> >>>> http://modernfarmer.com/2015/10/can-you-grow-plants-on-mars/
> >>>> "----There's just one problem that Weir didn't address, because he didn't 
> >>>> know about when he wrote the novel: Martian soil has perchlorates, 
> >>>> a type of salt that's hazardous to the human body. The perchlorates 
> >>>> would either make it more difficult for plants to grow, or would make 
> >>>> the plants toxic. The solution is actually very simple, but it wasn't 
> >>>> included in the book or movie. "You can literally just rinse them out 
> >>>> of the soil," Weir says. "Wash the soil, soak it in water, and the water 
> >>>> would wash the perchlorates away. -----"
> >>> 
> >>> And where do they go after that?  Into the newly built lakes or
> >>> seas?
> >>
> >> I think it's just a salt (a compound of positive and negative
> >> charged ions).  So, you can evaporate the water - to recover it - 
> >> leaving the salt behind.  Just don't put it on your dinner.
> >>
> >> How hazardous are we talking anyway?  Table salt is 
> >> not good for us in excess.  But salt - sodium chloride
> >> (or separate sources of sodium and chloride, I suppose)
> >> is necessary to us.
> >>
> >Perchlorates are strong oxidizers.  The most unstable will detonate if 
> >they're fairly dry and you mix them with something that can burn.  Like 
> >dirt.  If you extract a slurry from soil, and concentrate it...I don't 
> >think that's a good thing.

Sugar and potassium perchlorate is an amateur rocket fuel. 

> >Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
> >course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
> >concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
> >out the salts before planting.
> >
> >In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
> >because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
> >automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
> >with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
> >fertile as it originally was.
> 
> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
> perchlorates were involved.

I'd never heard that perchlorates were a problem in the Middle East - just
plain sodium chloride is much more common, and can kill a field quite 
effectively.

However, perchlorate contamination can occur in desert regions naturally:
http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/2014-06-09-natural_perchlorate.html

pt

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424989

FromQuadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca>
Date2015-10-19 17:13 -0700
Message-ID<333c1154-70e8-4c09-93fa-be009b232b2f@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#424944
On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:

> >Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the 
> >course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are 
> >concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush 
> >out the salts before planting.

> >In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley, 
> >because the river would flood its banks every year to do this 
> >automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal 
> >with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as 
> >fertile as it originally was.

> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
> perchlorates were involved.

I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with water would solve the problem.

John Savard

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424991

FromDavid Johnston <David@block.net>
Date2015-10-19 18:31 -0600
Message-ID<n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#424989
On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>> out the salts before planting.
>
>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>> fertile as it originally was.
>
>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>> perchlorates were involved.
>
> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with water would solve the problem.
>
> John Savard
>

Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole 
heaping lot of water.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424997

Fromdjheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
Date2015-10-20 02:17 +0000
Message-ID<nwHyDv.vu4@kithrup.com>
In reply to#424991
In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>
>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>
>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>
>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>water would solve the problem.
>>
>> John Savard
>>
>
>Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole 
>heaping lot of water.

That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
where you're trying to grow things.

-- 
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#424999

FromDavid Johnston <David@block.net>
Date2015-10-19 20:47 -0600
Message-ID<n049rn$el7$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#424997
On 10/19/2015 8:17 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
> David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>> On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>>
>>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>>
>>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>>
>>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>> accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>> with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>> water would solve the problem.
>>>
>>> John Savard
>>>
>>
>> Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole
>> heaping lot of water.
>
> That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
> canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
> where you're trying to grow things.
>

Canals on Mars?  What a silly idea.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425001

Fromdjheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
Date2015-10-20 04:03 +0000
Message-ID<nwI39I.15FA@kithrup.com>
In reply to#424999
In article <n049rn$el7$1@dont-email.me>,
David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>On 10/19/2015 8:17 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>> In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
>> David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>>> On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>>>
>>>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>>>
>>>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>>>
>>>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>>> accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>>> with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>>> water would solve the problem.
>>>>
>>>> John Savard
>>>>
>>>
>>> Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole
>>> heaping lot of water.
>>
>> That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
>> canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
>> where you're trying to grow things.
>>
>
>Canals on Mars?  What a silly idea.

Depends on which way they're flowing.  Are they irrigating the
landscape, or draining it?

-- 
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425002

FromWilliam Vetter <mdhangton@gmail.com>
Date2015-10-20 00:33 -0400
Message-ID<n04g2k$t42$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#424997
Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
> David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>> On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>> 
>>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>> 
>>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>> 
>>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>> accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>> with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>> water would solve the problem.
>>> 
>>> John Savard
>>> 
>> 
>> Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole 
>> heaping lot of water.
>
> That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
> canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
> where you're trying to grow things.

In the Tigris/Euphrates/canal irrigation system, it forced the 
salinated water deeper into the water table, where it would wait to 
rise again to be next year's problem.

And the irrigation water is not "slightly salty," it has trace minerals 
that are concentrated into the ground water to make it salty over a 
century.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425045

From"John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com>
Date2015-10-20 23:23 +0000
Message-ID<d8o0n7Fk8d3U1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#425002
On Tue, 20 Oct 2015 00:33:15 -0400, William Vetter wrote:

> 
> In the Tigris/Euphrates/canal irrigation system, it forced the salinated
> water deeper into the water table, where it would wait to rise again to
> be next year's problem.
> 
> And the irrigation water is not "slightly salty," it has trace minerals
> that are concentrated into the ground water to make it salty over a
> century.

I have read that there are ancient fields there that are now so salty 
that not even weeds will grow in them.

Any ground-water you find is likely to have some minerals dissolved in 
it.  In areas where the primary water source is rainfall, this isn't an 
issue.  In areas where the primary water source started off as rainfall 
somewhere else, the water has picked up dissolved minerals along the way 
that are left behind when the water evaporates.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425048

FromGreg Goss <gossg@gossg.org>
Date2015-10-20 17:55 -0600
Message-ID<d8o2j5Fkq9sU1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#425045
"John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com> wrote:

>Any ground-water you find is likely to have some minerals dissolved in 
>it.  In areas where the primary water source is rainfall, this isn't an 
>issue.  In areas where the primary water source started off as rainfall 
>somewhere else, the water has picked up dissolved minerals along the way 
>that are left behind when the water evaporates.

I live in a city with extremely hard water.  It's all surface run-off,
but still hard.

There are two ways to get lime into your water.  You can run the water
through limestone like many wells.  Or you can grind the rock up very
fine and mix it with your water.  The beautiful pale blue of so many
lakes in the Rockies comes from glacier-ground rock mixed into the
water.

Not relevant to "The Martian" or otherwise at all related to
terraforming Mars, but I find it interesting.
-- 
We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425076

Frommzenier@eskimo.com (Mark Zenier)
Date2015-10-20 17:00 +0000
Message-ID<n08akd0s3k@enews2.newsguy.com>
In reply to#425002
In article <n04g2k$t42$1@dont-email.me>,
William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>Dorothy J Heydt wrote: 
>> In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
>> David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote: 
>>> On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote: 
>>>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote: 
>>>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote: 
>>>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>>>
>>>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>>>
>>>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>>>
>>>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>>> accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>>> with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>>> water would solve the problem.
>>>>
>>>> John Savard
>>>>
>>>
>>> Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole
>>> heaping lot of water.
>>
>> That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
>> canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
>> where you're trying to grow things.
>
>In the Tigris/Euphrates/canal irrigation system, it forced the
>salinated water deeper into the water table, where it would wait to
>rise again to be next year's problem.
>
>And the irrigation water is not "slightly salty," it has trace minerals
>that are concentrated into the ground water to make it salty over a
>century.

A lot of salinization is not caused by salt that's brought it.  It's that
the addition of surface water creates a connection to saline ground water
and transpiration brings up local salt, which concentrates on the surface.

Mark Zenier  mzenier@eskimo.com  
Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)



[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425062

FromDimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net>
Date2015-10-20 20:38 -0700
Message-ID<562708a0$0$1703$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>
In reply to#424997
On 10/19/2015 7:17 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
> David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>> On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>>
>>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>>
>>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>>
>>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>> accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>> with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>> water would solve the problem.
>>>
>>> John Savard
>>>
>>
>> Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole
>> heaping lot of water.
>
> That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
> canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
> where you're trying to grow things.
>
It drains away to where the perchlorate eating bacteria is I believe is 
the unstated part of the argument.

-- 
Even Confucius complained about the younger generation's music.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#425063

Fromdjheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
Date2015-10-21 04:06 +0000
Message-ID<nwJy24.12K1@kithrup.com>
In reply to#425062
In article <562708a0$0$1703$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>,
Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
>On 10/19/2015 7:17 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>> In article <n041tp$v9u$1@dont-email.me>,
>> David Johnston  <David@block.net> wrote:
>>> On 10/19/2015 6:13 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
>>>> On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>>>> In article <n01tb2$uei$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>>> William Vetter  <mdhangton@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Most people don't realize that irrigation salinates soil over the
>>>>>> course of decades as trace salts in the irrigation water are
>>>>>> concentrated, after which more irrigation water is required to flush
>>>>>> out the salts before planting.
>>>>
>>>>>> In the ancient world, this was never a problem in the Nile valley,
>>>>>> because the river would flood its banks every year to do this
>>>>>> automatically, up until the Aswan Dam was built.  But it was a big deal
>>>>>> with the Tigris & Euphrates, which is why the Fertile Crescent isn't as
>>>>>> fertile as it originally was.
>>>>
>>>>> I knew the Crescent had deteriorated over the centuries because
>>>>> of salts in the soil, the result of irrigation.  I didn't realize
>>>>> perchlorates were involved.
>>>>
>>>> I don't believe he was trying to say they were - just that the same
>>> accumulation of ordinary salt that caused problems on Earth could happen
>>> with perchlorates on Mars if we thought that just washing them out with
>>> water would solve the problem.
>>>>
>>>> John Savard
>>>>
>>>
>>> Just washing out salt with water DOES work.  It just takes a whole
>>> heaping lot of water.
>>
>> That drains away somewhere.  If you're irrigating the soil with
>> canals full of slightly salty water, then it builds up right
>> where you're trying to grow things.
>>
>It drains away to where the perchlorate eating bacteria is I believe is 
>the unstated part of the argument.

Yup.  Find your perchlorate-eating bacteria,* put them down in the
bottomlands, flood the uplands with water, and wait.

_____
*Mrs. Beeton never did actually say "First catch your rabbit."
Her recipe began something like "Select your rabbit, and be sure
it is young and tender."

-- 
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


Page 2 of 7 — ← Prev page 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 7  Next page →

Back to top | Article view | rec.arts.sf.written


csiph-web