Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama

Details Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama

Jan 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010jgre..11500e11c&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 115, Issue 13, CiteID E00E11

Physics

8

Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Atmospheres (0343, 1060), Atmospheric Composition And Structure: Constituent Sources And Sinks, Hydrology: Soils (0486), Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Composition (1060, 3672), Geochemistry: Planetary Geochemistry (5405, 5410, 5704, 5709, 6005, 6008)

Scientific paper

Isotopic studies indicate that natural perchlorate is produced on Earth in arid environments by the oxidation of chlorine species through pathways involving ozone or its photochemical products. With this analogy, we propose that the arid environment on Mars may have given rise to perchlorate through the action of atmospheric oxidants. A variety of hypothetical pathways can be proposed including photochemical reactions, electrostatic discharge, and gas-solid reactions. Because perchlorate-rich deposits in the Atacama desert are closest in abundance to perchlorate measured at NASA's Phoenix Lander site, we made a preliminary study of the means to produce Atacama perchlorate to help shed light on the origin of Martian perchlorate. We investigated gas phase pathways using a 1-D photochemical model. We found that perchlorate can be produced in sufficient quantities to explain the abundance of perchlorate in the Atacama from a proposed gas phase oxidation of chlorine volatiles to perchloric acid. The feasibility of gas phase production for the Atacama provides justification for future investigations of gas phase photochemistry as a possible source for Martian perchlorate.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1600354