<p>According to <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2007JE002905" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this paper</a>, there are various but enough good estimations for the temperature gradient of the Martian soil. Note, direct measurements will we have first with the next Martian lander, the <a href="https://www.space.com/40141-mars-lander-insight-will-look-inside-red-planet.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">InSight</a>:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/rWddZ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rWddZ.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><sub>Image from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/pia16079.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a></sub></p>

<p>The for us important part of this estimation is this:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/QqFYW.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QqFYW.png" alt="Estimated Martian soil temperature gradient"></a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Depth penetration of the annual temperature wave at $120^\circ E,
&gt; 20^\circ N$, using data from the NASA/MSFC Mars GRAM as the surface
  boundary condition and assuming a planetary heat flow of 20
  $\frac{mW}{m^2}$. The snapshots of the temperature as a function of
  depth are given for the models with</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>(a) $k_\infty = 0.02 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$ and</li>
  <li>(b) $k_\infty = 0.1 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Heat flows derived from the soil temperatures given in Figures 3a and
  3b for models with
  * (c) $k_\infty = 0.02 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$ and
  * (d) $k_\infty = 0.1 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$.</p>
  
  <p>The snapshots (gray lines) show the local heat flow. The area inside
  the envelope (black lines) represents possible heat flow values that
  can be obtained by a single measurement. The heat flows derived from
  the annual mean temperatures are indicated by squares. Note that in
  order to calculate heat flows, the thermal conductivity was assumed to
  be known.</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>What we can see here, is similar to the Earth:</p>

<ul>
<li>there are significant temperature differences in the upper soil, depending on the geographical position, yearly and daily cycles</li>
<li>however, around from 4m depth, the soil temperature is roughly constant.</li>
</ul>

<p>Extrapolating the upper two graphs, we can expect a pleasant earth-like temperature not very deeply, roughly around 20-40 m.</p>

<hr>

<p>However, according to <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/14871/at-what-depth-on-mars-would-the-atmosphere-have-equal-pressure-of-that-on-earth">this answer</a>, the Earth-like pressure happens much deeper, around 20-40 km below the surface. This answer uses the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barometric_formula" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Barometric formula</a> to calculate the required depth, which is a very good estimation. It seems probably unreachable with the current technology, although it is not very far away from it: the main problems of the digging of deep holes are</p>

<ol>
<li>cooling</li>
<li>water incursions</li>
</ol>

<p>The first is much easier, the second is non-existant on the Mars.</p>

<p>Note, the Martian atmosphere is mainly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Mars#Composition" rel="nofollow noreferrer">carbon dioxide</a>, thus spacesuits won't be needed, but some oxygen tanks still will be.</p>

<p>There is no such depth where both the temperature and the pressure would be comfortable for us.</p>

<p>P.s. actually, 16% pure oxygen is already enough for us to breathe, which makes the required depth to around 10-15 km.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-09T11:34:56.530Z
2018-08-09T13:28:46.377Z
2018-08-09T13:28:46.377Z
peterh
<p>How deep in Mars' surface would one have to go to both not need a pressurized suit and be warm enough to just wear clothes? in other words is there a dept Goldilocks where you would only need an oxygen supply? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-07T10:28:48.167Z
Very similar question:  https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/14871/at-what-depth-on-mars-would-the-atmosphere-have-equal-pressure-of-that-on-earth   There's no sweet spot.   Digging into the ground warms faster than the added weight of the atmosphere above you pressurizes.   Mars doesn't have enough atmosphere for the sweet spot to exist.
userLTK
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-09T10:19:50.483Z
I've edited my answer there to mention the temperature.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-09T10:41:49.467Z
Not a dupe: this question asks for temperature, that question asks from pressure.
peterh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T23:53:45.257Z
It's been asked whether this question should be reopened, but the comments here  and the edited answer and comments for the other question incline me to think this remains a duplicate and that reopening doesn't add value to our site.
Chappo Hasn't Forgotten
<planetary-atmosphere><mars><heat>
How deep in Mars would a person not need insulation and pressure?
Muze
# How deep in Mars would a person not need insulation and pressure?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-07)

How deep in Mars' surface would one have to go to both not need a pressurized suit and be warm enough to just wear clothes? in other words is there a dept Goldilocks where you would only need an oxygen supply?

**Tags:** planetary-atmosphere, mars, heat

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Very similar question:  https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/14871/at-what-depth-on-mars-would-the-atmosphere-have-equal-pressure-of-that-on-earth   There's no sweet spot.   Digging into the ground warms faster than the added weight of the atmosphere above you pressurizes.   Mars doesn't have enough atmosphere for the sweet spot to exist.  
> **username_2**: I've edited my answer there to mention the temperature.  
> **username_3**: Not a dupe: this question asks for temperature, that question asks from pressure.  
> **username_4**: It's been asked whether this question should be reopened, but the comments here  and the edited answer and comments for the other question incline me to think this remains a duplicate and that reopening doesn't add value to our site.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-08-09. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

According to [this paper](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2007JE002905), there are various but enough good estimations for the temperature gradient of the Martian soil. Note, direct measurements will we have first with the next Martian lander, the [InSight](https://www.space.com/40141-mars-lander-insight-will-look-inside-red-planet.html):

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/rWddZ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/rWddZ.jpg)

Image from [here](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/pia16079.html)

The for us important part of this estimation is this:

[![Estimated Martian soil temperature gradient](https://i.sstatic.net/QqFYW.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/QqFYW.png)

> Depth penetration of the annual temperature wave at $120^\circ E,
> > 20^\circ N$, using data from the NASA/MSFC Mars GRAM as the surface
> boundary condition and assuming a planetary heat flow of 20
> $\frac{mW}{m^2}$. The snapshots of the temperature as a function of
> depth are given for the models with
>
> * (a) $k\_\infty = 0.02 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$ and
> * (b) $k\_\infty = 0.1 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$.
>
> Heat flows derived from the soil temperatures given in Figures 3a and
> 3b for models with
> \* (c) $k\_\infty = 0.02 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$ and
> \* (d) $k\_\infty = 0.1 \frac{W}{m\cdot K}$.
>
> The snapshots (gray lines) show the local heat flow. The area inside
> the envelope (black lines) represents possible heat flow values that
> can be obtained by a single measurement. The heat flows derived from
> the annual mean temperatures are indicated by squares. Note that in
> order to calculate heat flows, the thermal conductivity was assumed to
> be known.

---

What we can see here, is similar to the Earth:

* there are significant temperature differences in the upper soil, depending on the geographical position, yearly and daily cycles
* however, around from 4m depth, the soil temperature is roughly constant.

Extrapolating the upper two graphs, we can expect a pleasant earth-like temperature not very deeply, roughly around 20-40 m.

---

However, according to [this answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/14871/at-what-depth-on-mars-would-the-atmosphere-have-equal-pressure-of-that-on-earth), the Earth-like pressure happens much deeper, around 20-40 km below the surface. This answer uses the [Barometric formula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barometric_formula) to calculate the required depth, which is a very good estimation. It seems probably unreachable with the current technology, although it is not very far away from it: the main problems of the digging of deep holes are

1. cooling
2. water incursions

The first is much easier, the second is non-existant on the Mars.

Note, the Martian atmosphere is mainly [carbon dioxide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Mars#Composition), thus spacesuits won't be needed, but some oxygen tanks still will be.

There is no such depth where both the temperature and the pressure would be comfortable for us.

P.s. actually, 16% pure oxygen is already enough for us to breathe, which makes the required depth to around 10-15 km.


---

