1
|
Holmes JA, Lewis SR, Patel MR, Alday J, Aoki S, Liuzzi G, Villanueva GL, Crismani MMJ, Fedorova AA, Olsen KS, Kass DM, Vandaele AC, Korablev O. Global Variations in Water Vapor and Saturation State Throughout the Mars Year 34 Dusty Season. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2022; 127:e2022JE007203. [PMID: 36589717 PMCID: PMC9788072 DOI: 10.1029/2022je007203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
To understand the evolving martian water cycle, a global perspective of the combined vertical and horizontal distribution of water is needed in relation to supersaturation and water loss and how it varies spatially and temporally. The global vertical water vapor distribution is investigated through an analysis that unifies water, temperature and dust retrievals from several instruments on multiple spacecraft throughout Mars Year (MY) 34 with a global circulation model. During the dusty season of MY 34, northern polar latitudes are largely absent of water vapor below 20 km with variations above this altitude due to transport from mid-latitudes during a global dust storm, the downwelling branch of circulation during perihelion season and the intense MY 34 southern summer regional dust storm. Evidence is found of supersaturated water vapor breaking into the northern winter polar vortex. Supersaturation above around 60 km is found for most of the time period, with lower altitudes showing more diurnal variation in the saturation state of the atmosphere. Discrete layers of supersaturated water are found across all latitudes. The global dust storm and southern summer regional dust storm forced water vapor at all latitudes in a supersaturated state to 60-90 km where it is more likely to escape from the atmosphere. The reanalysis data set provides a constrained global perspective of the water cycle in which to investigate the horizontal and vertical transport of water throughout the atmosphere, of critical importance to understand how water is exchanged between different reservoirs and escapes the atmosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. A. Holmes
- School of Physical SciencesThe Open UniversityMilton KeynesUK
| | - S. R. Lewis
- School of Physical SciencesThe Open UniversityMilton KeynesUK
| | - M. R. Patel
- School of Physical SciencesThe Open UniversityMilton KeynesUK
- Space Science and Technology DepartmentScience and Technology Facilities CouncilRutherford Appleton LaboratoryDidcotUK
| | - J. Alday
- School of Physical SciencesThe Open UniversityMilton KeynesUK
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - S. Aoki
- Institute of Space and Astronautical ScienceJapan Aerospace Exploration AgencyKanagawaJapan
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - G. Liuzzi
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- Department of PhysicsAmerican UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | | | - M. M. J. Crismani
- Department of PhysicsCalifornia State University San BernardinoSan BernardinoCAUSA
| | - A. A. Fedorova
- Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI RAS)MoscowRussia
| | - K. S. Olsen
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - D. M. Kass
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - A. C. Vandaele
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - O. Korablev
- Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI RAS)MoscowRussia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Aoki S, Vandaele AC, Daerden F, Villanueva GL, Liuzzi G, Clancy RT, Lopez‐Valverde MA, Brines A, Thomas IR, Trompet L, Erwin JT, Neary L, Robert S, Piccialli A, Holmes JA, Patel MR, Yoshida N, Whiteway J, Smith MD, Ristic B, Bellucci G, Lopez‐Moreno JJ, Fedorova AA. Global Vertical Distribution of Water Vapor on Mars: Results From 3.5 Years of ExoMars-TGO/NOMAD Science Operations. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2022; 127:e2022JE007231. [PMID: 36583097 PMCID: PMC9787519 DOI: 10.1029/2022je007231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We present water vapor vertical distributions on Mars retrieved from 3.5 years of solar occultation measurements by Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, which reveal a strong contrast between aphelion and perihelion water climates. In equinox periods, most of water vapor is confined into the low-middle latitudes. In aphelion periods, water vapor sublimated from the northern polar cap is confined into very low altitudes-water vapor mixing ratios observed at the 0-5 km lower boundary of measurement decrease by an order of magnitude at the approximate altitudes of 15 and 30 km for the latitudes higher than 50°N and 30-50°N, respectively. The vertical confinement of water vapor at northern middle latitudes around aphelion is more pronounced in the morning terminators than evening, perhaps controlled by the diurnal cycle of cloud formation. Water vapor is also observed over the low latitude regions in the aphelion southern hemisphere (0-30°S) mostly below 10-20 km, which suggests north-south transport of water still occurs. In perihelion periods, water vapor sublimated from the southern polar cap directly reaches high altitudes (>80 km) over high southern latitudes, suggesting more effective transport by the meridional circulation without condensation. We show that heating during perihelion, sporadic global dust storms, and regional dust storms occurring annually around 330° of solar longitude (L S) are the main events to supply water vapor to the upper atmosphere above 70 km.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S. Aoki
- Department of Complexity Science and EngineeringGraduate School of Frontier SciencesThe University of TokyoKashiwaJapan
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - A. C. Vandaele
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - F. Daerden
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | | | - G. Liuzzi
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- Department of PhysicsAmerican UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | | | | | - A. Brines
- Instituto de Astrofísica de AndalucíaGlorieta de la AstronomiaGranadaSpain
| | - I. R. Thomas
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - L. Trompet
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - J. T. Erwin
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - L. Neary
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - S. Robert
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
- Institute of Condensed Matter and NanosciencesUniversité catholique de LouvainLouvain‐la‐NeuveBelgium
| | - A. Piccialli
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - J. A. Holmes
- School of Physical SciencesThe Open UniversityMilton KeynesUK
| | - M. R. Patel
- School of Physical SciencesThe Open UniversityMilton KeynesUK
| | | | - J. Whiteway
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space ScienceYork UniversityTorontoONCanada
| | - M. D. Smith
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - B. Ristic
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | | | - J. J. Lopez‐Moreno
- Instituto de Astrofísica de AndalucíaGlorieta de la AstronomiaGranadaSpain
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu Z, Li T, Zhang X, Li J, Cui J. Dust tides and rapid meridional motions in the Martian atmosphere during major dust storms. Nat Commun 2020; 11:614. [PMID: 32001703 PMCID: PMC6992627 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14510-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The atmosphere of Mars is strongly affected by the spatial and temporal variability of airborne dust. However, global dust variability within a sol (Martian day) is still poorly understood. Although short-term dynamic processes are crucial, detailed comparisons of simulated diurnal variations are limited by relatively sparse observations. Here, we report the discovery of ubiquitous, strong diurnal tides of dust in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars. Driven by the westward-propagating migrating diurnal thermal tide, zonally distributed dust fronts slosh back and forth in a wide latitudinal range of up to 40° within one sol during major dust storms. Dust tides-tidal transport of dust in this way-rapidly transport heat and constituents meridionally, allowing moist air near the summer pole to be rapidly transported to lower latitudes during the night, where it then can be lifted by daytime deep convection and contribute to hydrogen escape from Mars during global dust storms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaopeng Wu
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519082, PR China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100012, PR China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China.
| | - Tao Li
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China.
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Jing Li
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519082, PR China
| | - Jun Cui
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519082, PR China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100012, PR China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wilson EL, DiGregorio AJ, Villanueva G, Grunberg CE, Souders Z, Miletti KM, Menendez A, Grunberg MH, Floyd MAM, Bleacher JE, Euskirchen ES, Edgar C, Caldwell BJ, Shiro B, Binsted K. A portable miniaturized laser heterodyne radiometer (mini‑LHR) for remote measurements of column CH 4 and CO 2. APPLIED PHYSICS. B, LASERS AND OPTICS 2019; 125:11. [PMID: 31920221 PMCID: PMC6951259 DOI: 10.1007/s00340-019-7315-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We present the design of a portable version of our miniaturized laser heterodyne radiometer (mini-LHR) that simultaneously measures methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmospheric column. The mini-LHR fits on a backpack frame, operates autonomously, and requires no infrastructure because it is powered by batteries charged by a folding 30 W solar panel. Similar to our earlier instruments, the mini-LHR is a passive laser heterodyne radiometer that operates by collecting sunlight that has undergone absorption by CH4 and CO2. Within the mini-LHR, sunlight is mixed with light from a distributive feedback (DFB) laser centered at approximately 1.64 μm where both gases have absorption features. The laser scans across these absorption features roughly every minute and the resulting beat signal is collected in the radio frequency (RF). Scans are averaged into half hour and hour data products and analyzed using the Planetary Spectrum Generator (PSG) retrieval to extract column mole fractions. Instrument performance is demonstrated through two deployments at significantly different sites in interior Alaska and Hawaii. The resolving power (λ/∆λ) is greater than 500,000 at 1.64 μm with precisions of better than 20 ppb and 1 ppm for CH4 and CO2, respectively. Because mini-LHR instruments are portable and can be co-located, they can be used to characterize bias between larger, stationary, column observing instruments. In addition, mini-LHRs can be deployed quickly to respond to transient events such as methane leaks or can be used for field studies targeting geographical regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E. L. Wilson
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - A. J. DiGregorio
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., 10210 Greenbelt Rd, 20, Lanham, MD 20706, USA
| | - G. Villanueva
- Planetary Systems Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - C. E. Grunberg
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Z. Souders
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - K. M. Miletti
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - A. Menendez
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - M. H. Grunberg
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - M. A. M. Floyd
- Planetary Environments Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - J. E. Bleacher
- Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - E. S. Euskirchen
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 902 N. Koyukuk Dr, P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - C. Edgar
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 902 N. Koyukuk Dr, P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - B. J. Caldwell
- Exploration Class Management, 414 Bayoo View Drive, El Lago, TX 73472, USA
| | - B. Shiro
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, POST Building, Suite 701, 1680 East - West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - K. Binsted
- Department of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, POST Building Suite 303D, 1680 East - West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yung YL, Chen P, Nealson K, Atreya S, Beckett P, Blank JG, Ehlmann B, Eiler J, Etiope G, Ferry JG, Forget F, Gao P, Hu R, Kleinböhl A, Klusman R, Lefèvre F, Miller C, Mischna M, Mumma M, Newman S, Oehler D, Okumura M, Oremland R, Orphan V, Popa R, Russell M, Shen L, Sherwood Lollar B, Staehle R, Stamenković V, Stolper D, Templeton A, Vandaele AC, Viscardy S, Webster CR, Wennberg PO, Wong ML, Worden J. Methane on Mars and Habitability: Challenges and Responses. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:1221-1242. [PMID: 30234380 PMCID: PMC6205098 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent measurements of methane (CH4) by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) now confront us with robust data that demand interpretation. Thus far, the MSL data have revealed a baseline level of CH4 (∼0.4 parts per billion by volume [ppbv]), with seasonal variations, as well as greatly enhanced spikes of CH4 with peak abundances of ∼7 ppbv. What do these CH4 revelations with drastically different abundances and temporal signatures represent in terms of interior geochemical processes, or is martian CH4 a biosignature? Discerning how CH4 generation occurs on Mars may shed light on the potential habitability of Mars. There is no evidence of life on the surface of Mars today, but microbes might reside beneath the surface. In this case, the carbon flux represented by CH4 would serve as a link between a putative subterranean biosphere on Mars and what we can measure above the surface. Alternatively, CH4 records modern geochemical activity. Here we ask the fundamental question: how active is Mars, geochemically and/or biologically? In this article, we examine geological, geochemical, and biogeochemical processes related to our overarching question. The martian atmosphere and surface are an overwhelmingly oxidizing environment, and life requires pairing of electron donors and electron acceptors, that is, redox gradients, as an essential source of energy. Therefore, a fundamental and critical question regarding the possibility of life on Mars is, "Where can we find redox gradients as energy sources for life on Mars?" Hence, regardless of the pathway that generates CH4 on Mars, the presence of CH4, a reduced species in an oxidant-rich environment, suggests the possibility of redox gradients supporting life and habitability on Mars. Recent missions such as ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter may provide mapping of the global distribution of CH4. To discriminate between abiotic and biotic sources of CH4 on Mars, future studies should use a series of diagnostic geochemical analyses, preferably performed below the ground or at the ground/atmosphere interface, including measurements of CH4 isotopes, methane/ethane ratios, H2 gas concentration, and species such as acetic acid. Advances in the fields of Mars exploration and instrumentation will be driven, augmented, and supported by an improved understanding of atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, deep subsurface biogeochemistry, astrobiology, planetary geology, and geophysics. Future Mars exploration programs will have to expand the integration of complementary areas of expertise to generate synergistic and innovative ideas to realize breakthroughs in advancing our understanding of the potential of life and habitable conditions having existed on Mars. In this spirit, we conducted a set of interdisciplinary workshops. From this series has emerged a vision of technological, theoretical, and methodological innovations to explore the martian subsurface and to enhance spatial tracking of key volatiles, such as CH4.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuk L. Yung
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Pin Chen
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | | | | | - Jennifer G. Blank
- NASA Ames Research Center, Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Mountain View, California
| | - Bethany Ehlmann
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - John Eiler
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Giuseppe Etiope
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Rome, Italy
- Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - James G. Ferry
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Francois Forget
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Peter Gao
- University of California, Berkeley, California
| | - Renyu Hu
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Armin Kleinböhl
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | - Franck Lefèvre
- Laboratoire Atmospheres, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), IPSL, Paris, France
| | - Charles Miller
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Michael Mischna
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Michael Mumma
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
| | - Sally Newman
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | | | | | | | - Radu Popa
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael Russell
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Linhan Shen
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | - Robert Staehle
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Vlada Stamenković
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | | | - Ann C. Vandaele
- The Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Viscardy
- The Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christopher R. Webster
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | | | - John Worden
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Solon AJ, Vimercati L, Darcy JL, Arán P, Porazinska D, Dorador C, Farías ME, Schmidt SK. Microbial Communities of High-Elevation Fumaroles, Penitentes, and Dry Tephra "Soils" of the Puna de Atacama Volcanic Zone. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:340-351. [PMID: 29305629 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1129-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to understand the spatial distribution of microbial communities (18S and 16S rRNA genes) across one of the harshest terrestrial landscapes on Earth. We carried out Illumina sequencing using samples from two expeditions to the high slopes (up to 6050 m.a.s.l.) of Volcán Socompa and Llullaillaco to describe the microbial communities associated with the extremely dry tephra compared to areas that receive water from fumaroles and ice fields made up of nieves penitentes. There were strong spatial patterns relative to these landscape features with the most diverse (alpha diversity) communities being associated with fumaroles. Penitentes did not significantly increase alpha diversity compared to dry tephra at the same elevation (5825 m.a.s.l.) on Volcán Socompa, but the structure of the 18S community (beta diversity) was significantly affected by the presence of penitentes on both Socompa and Llullaillaco. In addition, the 18S community was significantly different in tephra wetted by penitentes versus dry tephra sites across many elevations on Llullaillaco. Traditional phototrophs (algae and cyanobacteria) were abundant in wetter tephra associated with fumaroles, and algae (but not cyanobacteria) were common in tephra associated with penitentes. Dry tephra had neither algae nor cyanobacteria but did host potential phototrophs in the Rhodospirillales on Volcán Llullaillaco, but not on Socompa. These results provide new insights into the distribution of microbes across one of the most extreme terrestrial environments on Earth and provide the first ever glimpse of life associated with nieves penitentes, spire-shaped ice structures that are widespread across the mostly unexplored high-elevation Andean Central Volcanic Zone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Solon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Lara Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - J L Darcy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Pablo Arán
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta & Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Dorota Porazinska
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - C Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta & Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - M E Farías
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas, PROIMI, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - S K Schmidt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wilson EH, Atreya SK, Kaiser RI, Mahaffy PR. Perchlorate formation on Mars through surface radiolysis-initiated atmospheric chemistry: A potential mechanism. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2016; 121:1472-1487. [PMID: 27774369 PMCID: PMC5054826 DOI: 10.1002/2016je005078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Recent observations of the Martian surface by the Phoenix lander and the Sample Analysis at Mars indicate the presence of perchlorate (ClO4-). The abundance and isotopic composition of these perchlorates suggest that the mechanisms responsible for their formation in the Martian environment may be unique in our solar system. With this in mind, we propose a potential mechanism for the production of Martian perchlorate: the radiolysis of the Martian surface by galactic cosmic rays, followed by the sublimation of chlorine oxides into the atmosphere and their subsequent synthesis to form perchloric acid (HClO4) in the atmosphere, and the surface deposition and subsequent mineralization of HClO4 in the regolith to form surface perchlorates. To evaluate the viability of this mechanism, we employ a one-dimensional chemical model, examining chlorine chemistry in the context of Martian atmospheric chemistry. Considering the chlorine oxide, OClO, we find that an OClO flux as low as 3.2 × 107 molecules cm-2 s-1 sublimated into the atmosphere from the surface could produce sufficient HClO4 to explain the perchlorate concentration on Mars, assuming an accumulation depth of 30 cm and integrated over the Amazonian period. Radiolysis provides an efficient pathway for the oxidation of chlorine, bypassing the efficient Cl/HCl recycling mechanism that characterizes HClO4 formation mechanisms proposed for the Earth but not Mars.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric H. Wilson
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Sushil K. Atreya
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Ralf I. Kaiser
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Hawai'i at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Read PL, Lewis SR, Mulholland DP. The physics of Martian weather and climate: a review. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2015; 78:125901. [PMID: 26534887 DOI: 10.1088/0034-4885/78/12/125901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The planet Mars hosts an atmosphere that is perhaps the closest in terms of its meteorology and climate to that of the Earth. But Mars differs from Earth in its greater distance from the Sun, its smaller size, its lack of liquid oceans and its thinner atmosphere, composed mainly of CO(2). These factors give Mars a rather different climate to that of the Earth. In this article we review various aspects of the martian climate system from a physicist's viewpoint, focusing on the processes that control the martian environment and comparing these with corresponding processes on Earth. These include the radiative and thermodynamical processes that determine the surface temperature and vertical structure of the atmosphere, the fluid dynamics of its atmospheric motions, and the key cycles of mineral dust and volatile transport. In many ways, the climate of Mars is as complicated and diverse as that of the Earth, with complex nonlinear feedbacks that affect its response to variations in external forcing. Recent work has shown that the martian climate is anything but static, but is almost certainly in a continual state of transient response to slowly varying insolation associated with cyclic variations in its orbit and rotation. We conclude with a discussion of the physical processes underlying these long- term climate variations on Mars, and an overview of some of the most intriguing outstanding problems that should be a focus for future observational and theoretical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P L Read
- Atmospheric, Oceanic & Planetary Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rummel JD, Beaty DW, Jones MA, Bakermans C, Barlow NG, Boston PJ, Chevrier VF, Clark BC, de Vera JPP, Gough RV, Hallsworth JE, Head JW, Hipkin VJ, Kieft TL, McEwen AS, Mellon MT, Mikucki JA, Nicholson WL, Omelon CR, Peterson R, Roden EE, Sherwood Lollar B, Tanaka KL, Viola D, Wray JJ. A new analysis of Mars "Special Regions": findings of the second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2). ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:887-968. [PMID: 25401393 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
A committee of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) has reviewed and updated the description of Special Regions on Mars as places where terrestrial organisms might replicate (per the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy). This review and update was conducted by an international team (SR-SAG2) drawn from both the biological science and Mars exploration communities, focused on understanding when and where Special Regions could occur. The study applied recently available data about martian environments and about terrestrial organisms, building on a previous analysis of Mars Special Regions (2006) undertaken by a similar team. Since then, a new body of highly relevant information has been generated from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (launched in 2005) and Phoenix (2007) and data from Mars Express and the twin Mars Exploration Rovers (all 2003). Results have also been gleaned from the Mars Science Laboratory (launched in 2011). In addition to Mars data, there is a considerable body of new data regarding the known environmental limits to life on Earth-including the potential for terrestrial microbial life to survive and replicate under martian environmental conditions. The SR-SAG2 analysis has included an examination of new Mars models relevant to natural environmental variation in water activity and temperature; a review and reconsideration of the current parameters used to define Special Regions; and updated maps and descriptions of the martian environments recommended for treatment as "Uncertain" or "Special" as natural features or those potentially formed by the influence of future landed spacecraft. Significant changes in our knowledge of the capabilities of terrestrial organisms and the existence of possibly habitable martian environments have led to a new appreciation of where Mars Special Regions may be identified and protected. The SR-SAG also considered the impact of Special Regions on potential future human missions to Mars, both as locations of potential resources and as places that should not be inadvertently contaminated by human activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John D Rummel
- 1 Department of Biology, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mahaffy PR, Webster CR, Atreya SK, Franz H, Wong M, Conrad PG, Harpold D, Jones JJ, Leshin LA, Manning H, Owen T, Pepin RO, Squyres S, Trainer M, Kemppinen O, Bridges N, Johnson JR, Minitti M, Cremers D, Bell JF, Edgar L, Farmer J, Godber A, Wadhwa M, Wellington D, McEwan I, Newman C, Richardson M, Charpentier A, Peret L, King P, Blank J, Weigle G, Schmidt M, Li S, Milliken R, Robertson K, Sun V, Baker M, Edwards C, Ehlmann B, Farley K, Griffes J, Grotzinger J, Miller H, Newcombe M, Pilorget C, Rice M, Siebach K, Stack K, Stolper E, Brunet C, Hipkin V, Leveille R, Marchand G, Sanchez PS, Favot L, Cody G, Steele A, Fluckiger L, Lees D, Nefian A, Martin M, Gailhanou M, Westall F, Israel G, Agard C, Baroukh J, Donny C, Gaboriaud A, Guillemot P, Lafaille V, Lorigny E, Paillet A, Perez R, Saccoccio M, Yana C, Armiens-Aparicio C, Rodriguez JC, Blazquez IC, Gomez FG, Gomez-Elvira J, Hettrich S, Malvitte AL, Jimenez MM, Martinez-Frias J, Martin-Soler J, Martin-Torres FJ, Jurado AM, Mora-Sotomayor L, Caro GM, Lopez SN, Peinado-Gonzalez V, Pla-Garcia J, Manfredi JAR, Romeral-Planello JJ, Fuentes SAS, Martinez ES, Redondo JT, Urqui-O'Callaghan R, Mier MPZ, Chipera S, Lacour JL, Mauchien P, Sirven JB, Fairen A, Hayes A, Joseph J, Sullivan R, Thomas P, Dupont A, Lundberg A, Melikechi N, Mezzacappa A, DeMarines J, Grinspoon D, Reitz G, Prats B, Atlaskin E, Genzer M, Harri AM, Haukka H, Kahanpaa H, Kauhanen J, Kemppinen O, Paton M, Polkko J, Schmidt W, Siili T, Fabre C, Wray J, Wilhelm MB, Poitrasson F, Patel K, Gorevan S, Indyk S, Paulsen G, Gupta S, Bish D, Schieber J, Gondet B, Langevin Y, Geffroy C, Baratoux D, Berger G, Cros A, d'Uston C, Forni O, Gasnault O, Lasue J, Lee QM, Maurice S, Meslin PY, Pallier E, Parot Y, Pinet P, Schroder S, Toplis M, Lewin E, Brunner W, Heydari E, Achilles C, Oehler D, Sutter B, Cabane M, Coscia D, Israel G, Szopa C, Dromart G, Robert F, Sautter V, Le Mouelic S, Mangold N, Nachon M, Buch A, Stalport F, Coll P, Francois P, Raulin F, Teinturier S, Cameron J, Clegg S, Cousin A, DeLapp D, Dingler R, Jackson RS, Johnstone S, Lanza N, Little C, Nelson T, Wiens RC, Williams RB, Jones A, Kirkland L, Treiman A, Baker B, Cantor B, Caplinger M, Davis S, Duston B, Edgett K, Fay D, Hardgrove C, Harker D, Herrera P, Jensen E, Kennedy MR, Krezoski G, Krysak D, Lipkaman L, Malin M, McCartney E, McNair S, Nixon B, Posiolova L, Ravine M, Salamon A, Saper L, Stoiber K, Supulver K, Van Beek J, Van Beek T, Zimdar R, French KL, Iagnemma K, Miller K, Summons R, Goesmann F, Goetz W, Hviid S, Johnson M, Lefavor M, Lyness E, Breves E, Dyar MD, Fassett C, Blake DF, Bristow T, DesMarais D, Edwards L, Haberle R, Hoehler T, Hollingsworth J, Kahre M, Keely L, McKay C, Wilhelm MB, Bleacher L, Brinckerhoff W, Choi D, Dworkin JP, Eigenbrode J, Floyd M, Freissinet C, Garvin J, Glavin D, Jones A, Martin DK, McAdam A, Pavlov A, Raaen E, Smith MD, Stern J, Tan F, Meyer M, Posner A, Voytek M, Anderson RC, Aubrey A, Beegle LW, Behar A, Blaney D, Brinza D, Calef F, Christensen L, Crisp JA, DeFlores L, Ehlmann B, Feldman J, Feldman S, Flesch G, Hurowitz J, Jun I, Keymeulen D, Maki J, Mischna M, Morookian JM, Parker T, Pavri B, Schoppers M, Sengstacken A, Simmonds JJ, Spanovich N, Juarez MDLT, Vasavada AR, Yen A, Archer PD, Cucinotta F, Ming D, Morris RV, Niles P, Rampe E, Nolan T, Fisk M, Radziemski L, Barraclough B, Bender S, Berman D, Dobrea EN, Tokar R, Vaniman D, Williams RME, Yingst A, Lewis K, Cleghorn T, Huntress W, Manhes G, Hudgins J, Olson T, Stewart N, Sarrazin P, Grant J, Vicenzi E, Wilson SA, Bullock M, Ehresmann B, Hamilton V, Hassler D, Peterson J, Rafkin S, Zeitlin C, Fedosov F, Golovin D, Karpushkina N, Kozyrev A, Litvak M, Malakhov A, Mitrofanov I, Mokrousov M, Nikiforov S, Prokhorov V, Sanin A, Tretyakov V, Varenikov A, Vostrukhin A, Kuzmin R, Clark B, Wolff M, McLennan S, Botta O, Drake D, Bean K, Lemmon M, Schwenzer SP, Anderson RB, Herkenhoff K, Lee EM, Sucharski R, Hernandez MADP, Avalos JJB, Ramos M, Kim MH, Malespin C, Plante I, Muller JP, Navarro-Gonzalez R, Ewing R, Boynton W, Downs R, Fitzgibbon M, Harshman K, Morrison S, Dietrich W, Kortmann O, Palucis M, Sumner DY, Williams A, Lugmair G, Wilson MA, Rubin D, Jakosky B, Balic-Zunic T, Frydenvang J, Jensen JK, Kinch K, Koefoed A, Madsen MB, Stipp SLS, Boyd N, Campbell JL, Gellert R, Perrett G, Pradler I, VanBommel S, Jacob S, Rowland S, Atlaskin E, Savijarvi H, Boehm E, Bottcher S, Burmeister S, Guo J, Kohler J, Garcia CM, Mueller-Mellin R, Wimmer-Schweingruber R, Bridges JC, McConnochie T, Benna M, Bower H, Brunner A, Blau H, Boucher T, Carmosino M, Elliott H, Halleaux D, Renno N, Elliott B, Spray J, Thompson L, Gordon S, Newsom H, Ollila A, Williams J, Vasconcelos P, Bentz J, Nealson K, Popa R, Kah LC, Moersch J, Tate C, Day M, Kocurek G, Hallet B, Sletten R, Francis R, McCullough E, Cloutis E, ten Kate IL, Kuzmin R, Arvidson R, Fraeman A, Scholes D, Slavney S, Stein T, Ward J, Berger J, Moores JE. Abundance and Isotopic Composition of Gases in the Martian Atmosphere from the Curiosity Rover. Science 2013; 341:263-6. [PMID: 23869014 DOI: 10.1126/science.1237966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
11
|
Sprague AL, Boynton WV, Forget F, Lian Y, Richardson M, Starr R, Metzger AE, Hamara D, Economou T. Interannual similarity and variation in seasonal circulation of Mars' atmospheric Ar as seen by the Gamma Ray Spectrometer on Mars Odyssey. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011je003873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
12
|
Maltagliati L, Montmessin F, Fedorova A, Korablev O, Forget F, Bertaux JL. Evidence of Water Vapor in Excess of Saturation in the Atmosphere of Mars. Science 2011; 333:1868-71. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1207957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Maltagliati
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), 78280 Guyancourt, France
| | - F. Montmessin
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), 78280 Guyancourt, France
| | - A. Fedorova
- Space Research Institute (IKI), 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - O. Korablev
- Space Research Institute (IKI), 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - F. Forget
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD), 75252 Paris, France
| | - J.-L. Bertaux
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), 78280 Guyancourt, France
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Pommerol A, Portyankina G, Thomas N, Aye KM, Hansen CJ, Vincendon M, Langevin Y. Evolution of south seasonal cap during Martian spring: Insights from high-resolution observations by HiRISE and CRISM on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
14
|
Tamppari LK, Bass D, Cantor B, Daubar I, Dickinson C, Fisher D, Fujii K, Gunnlauggson HP, Hudson TL, Kass D, Kleinböhl A, Komguem L, Lemmon MT, Mellon M, Moores J, Pankine A, Pathak J, Searls M, Seelos F, Smith MD, Smrekar S, Taylor P, Holstein-Rathlou C, Weng W, Whiteway J, Wolff M. Phoenix and MRO coordinated atmospheric measurements. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
15
|
Brown AJ, Calvin WM, McGuire PC, Murchie SL. Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) south polar mapping: First Mars year of observations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
16
|
Nelli SM, Murphy JR, Feldman WC, Schaeffer JR. Characterization of the nighttime low-latitude water ice deposits in the NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model 2.1 under present-day atmospheric conditions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
17
|
Murchie SL, Seelos FP, Hash CD, Humm DC, Malaret E, McGovern JA, Choo TH, Seelos KD, Buczkowski DL, Morgan MF, Barnouin-Jha OS, Nair H, Taylor HW, Patterson GW, Harvel CA, Mustard JF, Arvidson RE, McGuire P, Smith MD, Wolff MJ, Titus TN, Bibring JP, Poulet F. Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars investigation and data set from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's primary science phase. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
18
|
Observed variations of methane on Mars unexplained by known atmospheric chemistry and physics. Nature 2009; 460:720-3. [PMID: 19661912 DOI: 10.1038/nature08228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2009] [Accepted: 06/12/2009] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The detection of methane on Mars has revived the possibility of past or extant life on this planet, despite the fact that an abiogenic origin is thought to be equally plausible. An intriguing aspect of the recent observations of methane on Mars is that methane concentrations appear to be locally enhanced and change with the seasons. However, methane has a photochemical lifetime of several centuries, and is therefore expected to have a spatially uniform distribution on the planet. Here we use a global climate model of Mars with coupled chemistry to examine the implications of the recently observed variations of Martian methane for our understanding of the chemistry of methane. We find that photochemistry as currently understood does not produce measurable variations in methane concentrations, even in the case of a current, local and episodic methane release. In contrast, we find that the condensation-sublimation cycle of Mars' carbon dioxide atmosphere can generate large-scale methane variations differing from those observed. In order to reproduce local methane enhancements similar to those recently reported, we show that an atmospheric lifetime of less than 200 days is necessary, even if a local source of methane is only active around the time of the observation itself. This implies an unidentified methane loss process that is 600 times faster than predicted by standard photochemistry. The existence of such a fast loss in the Martian atmosphere is difficult to reconcile with the observed distribution of other trace gas species. In the case of a destruction mechanism only active at the surface of Mars, destruction of methane must occur with an even shorter timescale of the order of approximately 1 hour to explain the observations. If recent observations of spatial and temporal variations of methane are confirmed, this would suggest an extraordinarily harsh environment for the survival of organics on the planet.
Collapse
|