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1.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been suggested as a possible oxidizer of the martian surface. Photochemical models predict a mean column density in the range of 1015-1016 cm−2. However, a stringent upper limit of the H2O2 abundance on Mars (9×1014 cm−2) was derived in February 2001 from ground-based infrared spectroscopy, at a time corresponding to a maximum water vapor abundance in the northern summer (30 pr. μm, Ls=112°). Here we report the detection of H2O2 on Mars in June 2003, and its mapping over the martian disk using the same technique, during the southern spring (Ls=206°) when the global water vapor abundance was ∼10 pr. μm. The spatial distribution of H2O2 shows a maximum in the morning around the sub-solar latitude. The mean H2O2 column density (6×1015 cm−2) is significantly greater than our previous upper limit, pointing to seasonal variations. Our new result is globally consistent with the predictions of photochemical models, and also with submillimeter ground-based measurements obtained in September 2003 (Ls=254°), averaged over the martian disk (Clancy et al., 2004, Icarus 168, 116-121).  相似文献   

2.
Laboratory simulations using the Arizona State University Vortex Generator (ASUVG) were run to simulate sediment flux in dust devils in terrestrial ambient and Mars-analog conditions. The objective of this study was to measure vortex sediment flux in the laboratory to yield estimations of natural dust devils on Earth and Mars, where all parameters may not be measured. These tests used particles ranging from 2 to 2000 μm in diameter and 1300 to 4800 kg m−3 in density, and the results were compared with data from natural dust devils on Earth and Mars. Typically, the cores of dust devils (regardless of planetary environment) have a pressure decrease of ∼0.1-1.5% of ambient atmospheric pressure, which enhances the lifting of particles from the surface. Core pressure decreases in our experiments ranged from ∼0.01% to 5.00% of ambient pressure (10 mbar Mars cases and 1000 mbar for Earth cases) corresponding to a few tenths of a millibar for Mars cases and a few millibars for Earth cases. Sediment flux experiments were run at vortex tangential wind velocities of 1-45 m s−1, which typically correspond to ∼30-70% above vortex threshold values for the test particle sizes and densities. Sediment flux was determined by time-averaged measurements of mass loss for a given vortex size. Sediment fluxes of ∼10−6-100 kg m−2 s−1 were obtained, similar to estimates and measurements for fluxes in dust devils on Earth and Mars. Sediment flux is closely related to the vortex intensity, which depends on the strength of the pressure decrease in the core (ΔP). This study found vortex size is less important for lifting materials because many different diameters can have the same ΔP. This finding is critical in scaling the laboratory results to natural dust devils that can be several orders of magnitude larger than the laboratory counterparts.  相似文献   

3.
The goal of this study was to explore prebiotic chemistry in a range of plausible early Earth and Mars atmospheres. To achieve this laboratory continuous flow plasma irradiation experiments were performed on N2/H2/CO/CO2 gas mixtures chosen to represent mildly reducing early Earth and Mars atmospheres derived from a secondary volcanic outgassing of volatiles in chemical equilibrium with magmas near present day oxidation state. Under mildly reducing conditions (91.79% N2, 5.89% H2, 2.21% CO, and 0.11% CO2), simple nitriles are produced in the gas phase with yield (G in molecules per 100 eV), for the key prebiotic marker molecule HCN at G∼1×10−3 (0.1 nmol J−1). In this atmosphere localized HCN concentrations possibly could approach the 10−2 M needed for HCN oligomerization. Yields under mildly oxidizing conditions (45.5% N2, 0.1% H2, 27.2% CO, 27.2% CO2) are significantly less as expected, with HCN at G∼3×10−5 (). Yields in a Triton atmosphere which can be plausibly extrapolated to represent what might be produced in trace CH4 conditions (99.9% N2, 0.1% CH4) are significant with HCN at G∼1×10−2 (1 nmol J−1) and tholins produced. Recently higher methane abundance atmospheres have been examined for their greenhouse warming potential, and higher abundance hydrogen atmospheres have been proposed based on a low early Earth exosphere temperature. A reducing (64.04% N2, 28.8% H2, 3.60% CO2, and 3.56% CH4), representing a high CH4 and H2 abundance early Earth atmosphere had HCN yields of G∼5×10−3 (0.5 nmol J−1). Tholins generated in high methane hydrogen gas mixtures is much less than in a similar mixture without hydrogen. The same mixture with the oxidizing component CO2 removed (66.43% N2, 29.88% H2, 0% CO2, and 3.69% CH4) had HCN yields of G∼1×10−3 (0.1 nmol J−1) but more significant tholin yields.  相似文献   

4.
While CO, HCl, and HF, that were considered in the first part of this work, have distinct absorption lines in high-resolution spectra and were detected four decades ago, the lines of HDO, OCS, and SO2 are either very weak or blended by the telluric lines and have not been observed previously by ground-based infrared spectroscopy at the Venus cloud tops. The H2O abundance above the Venus clouds is typically below the detection limit of ground-based IR spectroscopy. However, the large D/H ratio on Venus facilitates observations of HDO. Converted to H2O with D/H ≈ 200, our observations at 2722 cm−1 in the Venus afternoon show a H2O mixing ratio of ∼1.2 ppm at latitudes between ±40° increasing to ±60° by a factor of 2. The observations in the early morning reveal the H2O mixing ratio that is almost constant at 2.9 ppm within latitudes of ±75°. The measured H2O mixing ratios refer to 74 km. The observed increase in H2O is explained by the lack of photochemical production of sulfuric acid in the night time. The recent observations at the P-branch of OCS at 4094 cm−1 confirm our detection of OCS. Four distributions of OCS along the disk of Venus at various latitudes and local times have been retrieved. Both regular and irregular components are present in the variations of OCS. The observed OCS mixing ratio at 65 km varies from ∼0.3 to 9 ppb with the mean value of ∼3 ppb. The OCS scale height is retrieved from the observed limb darkening and varies from 1 to 4 km with a mean value of half the atmospheric scale height. SO2 at the cloud tops has been detected for the first time by means of ground-based infrared spectroscopy. The SO2 lines look irregular in the observed spectra at 2476 cm−1. The SO2 abundances are retrieved by fitting by synthetic spectra, and two methods have been applied to determine uncertainties and detection limits in this fitting. The retrieved mean SO2 mixing ratio of 350 ± 50 ppb at 72 km favors a significant increase in SO2 above the clouds since the period of 1980-1995 that was observed by the SOIR occultations at Venus Express. Scale heights of OCS and SO2 may be similar, and the SO2/OCS ratio is ∼500 and may be rather stable at 65-70 km under varying conditions on Venus.  相似文献   

5.
Volcanism has been a major process during most of the geologic history of Mars. Based on data collected from terrestrial basaltic eruptions, we assume that the volatile content of martian lavas was typically ∼0.5 wt.% water, ∼0.7 wt.% carbon dioxide, ∼0.14 wt.% sulfur dioxide, and contained several other important volatile constituents. From the geologic record of volcanism on Mars we find that during the late Noachian and through the Amazonian volcanic degassing contributed ∼0.8 bar to the martian atmosphere. Because most of the outgassing consisted of greenhouse gases (i.e., CO2 and SO2) warmer surface temperatures resulting from volcanic eruptions may have been possible. Our estimates suggest that ∼1.1 × 1021 g (∼8 ± 1 m m−2) of juvenile water were released by volcanism; slightly more than half the amount contained in the north polar cap and atmosphere. Estimates for released CO2 (1.6 × 1021 g) suggests that a large reservoir of carbon dioxide is adsorbed in the martian regolith or alternatively ∼300 cm cm−2 of carbonates may have formed, although these materials would not occur readily in the presence of excess SO2. Up to ∼120 cm cm−2 (2.2 × 1020 g) of acid rain (H2SO4) may have precipitated onto the martian surface as the result of SO2 degassing. The hydrogen flux resulting from volcanic outgassing may help explain the martian atmospheric D/H ratio. The amount of outgassed nitrogen (∼1.3 mbar) may also be capable of explaining the martian atmospheric 15N/14N ratio. Minor gas constituents (HF, HCl, and H2S) could have formed hydroxyl salts on the surface resulting in the physical weathering of geologic materials. The amount of hydrogen fluoride emitted (1.82 × 1018 g) could be capable of dissolving a global layer of quartz sand ∼5 mm thick, possibly explaining why this mineral has not been positively identified in spectral observations. The estimates of volcanic outgassing presented here will be useful in understanding how the martian atmosphere evolved over time.  相似文献   

6.
Thermal inertia derivation techniques generally assume that surface properties are uniform at horizontal scales below the footprint of the observing instrument and to depths of several decimeters. Consequently, surfaces with horizontal or vertical heterogeneity may yield apparent thermal inertia which varies with time of day and season. To investigate these temporal variations, we processed three Mars years of Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer observations and produced global nightside and dayside seasonal maps of apparent thermal inertia. These maps show broad regions with diurnal and seasonal differences up to 200 J m−2 K−1s−1/2 at mid-latitudes (60° S to 60° N) and 600 J m−2 K−1s−1/2 or greater in the polar regions. We compared the seasonal mapping results with modeled apparent thermal inertia and created new maps of surface heterogeneity at 5° resolution, delineating regions that have thermal characteristics consistent with horizontal mixtures or layers of two materials. The thermal behavior of most regions on Mars appears to be dominated by layering, with upper layers of higher thermal inertia (e.g., duricrusts or desert pavements over fines) prevailing in mid-latitudes and upper layers of lower thermal inertia (e.g., dust-covered rock, soils with an ice table at shallow depths) prevailing in polar regions. Less common are regions dominated by horizontal mixtures, such as those containing differing proportions of rocks, sand, dust, and duricrust or surfaces with divergent local slopes. Other regions show thermal behavior that is more complex and not well-represented by two-component surface models. These results have important implications for Mars surface geology, climate modeling, landing-site selection, and other endeavors that employ thermal inertia as a tool for characterizing surface properties.  相似文献   

7.
We have observed about 16 absorption lines of the ν2 SO2 vibrational band on Io, in disk-integrated 19-μm spectra taken with the TEXES high spectral resolution mid-infrared spectrograph at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility in November 2001, December 2002, and January 2004. These are the first ground-based infrared observations of Io's sunlit atmosphere, and provide a new window on the atmosphere that allows better longitudinal and temporal monitoring than previous techniques. Dramatic variations in band strength with longitude are seen that are stable over at least a 2 year period. The depth of the strongest feature, a blend of lines centered at 530.42 cm−1, varies from about 7% near longitude 180° to about 1% near longitude 315° W, as measured at a spectral resolution of 57,000. Interpretation of the spectra requires modeling of surface temperatures and atmospheric density across Io's disk, and the variation in non-LTE ν2 vibrational temperature with altitude, and depends on the assumed atmospheric and surface temperature structure. About half of Io's 19-μm radiation comes from the Sun-heated surface, and half from volcanic hot spots with temperatures primarily between 150 and 200 K, which occupy about 8% of the surface. The observations are thus weighted towards the atmosphere over these low-temperature hot spots. If we assume that the atmosphere over the hot spots is representative of the atmosphere elsewhere, and that the atmospheric density is a function of latitude, the most plausible interpretation of the data is that the equatorial atmospheric column density varies from about 1.5×1017 cm−2 near longitude 180° W to about 1.5×1016 cm−2 near longitude 300° W, roughly consistent with HST UV spectroscopy and Lyman-α imaging. The inferred atmospheric kinetic temperature is less than about 150 K, at least on the anti-Jupiter hemisphere where the bands are strongest, somewhat colder than inferred from HST UV spectroscopy and millimeter-wavelength spectroscopy. This longitudinal variability in atmospheric density correlates with the longitudinal variability in the abundance of optically thick, near-UV bright SO2 frost. However it is not clear whether the correlation results from volcanic control (regions of large frost abundance result from greater condensation of atmospheric gases supported by more vigorous volcanic activity in these regions) or sublimation control (regions of large frost abundance produce a more extensive atmosphere due to more extensive sublimation). Comparison of data taken in 2001, 2002, and 2004 shows that with the possible exception of longitudes near 180° W between 2001 and 2002, Io's atmospheric density does not appear to decrease as Io recedes from the Sun, as would be expected if the atmosphere were supported by the sublimation of surface frost, suggesting that the atmosphere is dominantly supported by direct volcanic supply rather than by frost sublimation. However, other evidence such as the smooth variation in atmospheric abundance with latitude, and atmospheric changes during eclipse, suggest that sublimation support is more important than volcanic support, leaving the question of the dominant atmospheric support mechanism still unresolved.  相似文献   

8.
John E. Moores  Peter H. Smith 《Icarus》2011,211(2):1129-1149
A chamber was constructed to simulate the boundary between the ice table, regolith and atmosphere of Mars and to examine fractionation between H2O and HDO during sublimation under realistic martian conditions of temperature and pressure. Thirteen experimental runs were conducted with regolith overlying the ice. The thickness and characteristic grain size of the regolith layer as well as the temperature of the underlying ice was varied. From these runs, values for the effective diffusivity, taking into account the effects of adsorption, of the regolith were derived. These effective diffusivities ranged from 1.8 × 10−4 m2 s−1 to 2.2 × 10−3 m2 s−1 for bare ice and from 2.4 × 10−11 m2 s−1 to 2.0 × 10−9 m2 s−1 with an adsorptive layer present. From these, latent heats of adsorption of 8.6 ± 2.6 kJ mol−1 and 9.3 ± 2.8 kJ mol−1 were derived at ice-surface temperatures above 223 ± 8 K and 96 ± 28 kJ mol−1 and 104 ± 31 kJ mol−1 respectively for H2O and HDO were derived at colder temperatures. For temperatures below 223 K, the effective diffusivity of HDO was found to be lower than the diffusivity of H2O by 40% on average, suggesting that the regolith was adsorptively fractionating the sublimating gas with a fractionation factor of 1.96 ± 0.74. Applying these values to Mars predicts that adsorbed water on the regolith is enriched in HDO compared to the atmosphere, particularly where the regolith is colder. Based on current observations, the D/H ratio of the regolith may be as high as 21 ± 8 times VSMOW at 12°S and LS = 357° if the regolith is hydrated primarily by the atmosphere, neglecting any hydration from subsurface ice.  相似文献   

9.
We obtained time-resolved, near-infrared spectra of Io during the 60-90 min following its reappearance from eclipse by Jupiter on five occasions in 2004. The purpose was to search for spectral changes, particularly in the well-known SO2 frost absorption bands, that would indicate surface-atmosphere exchange of gaseous SO2 induced by temperature changes during eclipse. These observations were a follow-on to eclipse spectroscopy observations in which Bellucci et al. [Bellucci et al., 2004. Icarus 172, 141-148] reported significant changes in the strengths of two strong SO2 bands in data acquired with the VIMS instrument aboard the Cassini spacecraft. One of the bands (4.07 μm [ν1 + ν3]) observed by Bellucci et al. is visible from ground-based observatories and is included in our data. We detected no changes in Io’s spectrum at any of the five observed events during the approximately 60-90 min during which spectra were obtained following Io’s emergence from Jupiter’s shadow. The areas of the three strongest SO2 bands in the region 3.5-4.15 μm were measured for each spectrum; the variation of the band areas with time does not exceed that which can be explained by the Io’s few degrees of axial rotation during the intervals of observation, and in no case does the change in band strength approach that seen in the Cassini VIMS data. Our data are of sufficient quality and resolution to show the weak 2.198 μm (4549.6 cm−1) 4ν1 band of SO2 frost on Io for what we believe is the first time. At one of the events (June 22, 2004), we began the acquisition of spectra ∼6 min before Io reappeared from Jupiter’s shadow, during which time it was detected through its own thermal emission. No SO2 bands were superimposed on the purely thermal spectrum on this occasion, suggesting that the upper limit to condensed SO2 in the vertical column above Io’s surface was ∼4 × 10−5 g cm−2.  相似文献   

10.
A scheme of excitation, quenching, and energy transfer processes in the oxygen nightglow on the Earth, Venus, and Mars has been developed based on the observed nightglow intensities and vertical profiles, measured reaction rate coefficients, and photochemical models of the nighttime atmospheres of the Venus and Mars. The scheme involves improved radiative lifetimes of some band systems, calculated yields of the seven electronic states of O2 in termolecular association, and rate coefficients of seven processes of electronic quenching of the Herzberg states of O2, which are evaluated by fitting to the nightglow observations. Electronic quenching of the vibrationally excited Herzberg states by O2 and N2 in the Earth's nightglow is a quarter of total collisional removal of the O2(A, A′) states and a dominant branch for the O2(c) state. The scheme supports the conclusion by Steadman and Thrush (1994) that the green line is excited by energy transfer from the O2(A3Σu+, v≥6) molecules, and the inferred rate coefficient of this transfer is 1.5×10−11 cm3 s−1. The O2 bands at 762 nm and 1.27 μm are excited directly, by quenching of the Herzberg states, and by energy transfer from the O2(5Πg) state. Quenching of the O2 band at 762 nm excites the band at 1.27 μm as well. Effective yield of the O2(a1Δg) state in termolecular association on Venus and Mars is ∼0.7. Quantitative assessments of all these processes have been made. A possible reaction of O2(c1Σu−)+CO is a very minor branch of recombination of CO2 on Venus and Mars. Night airglow on Mars is calculated for typical conditions of the nighttime atmosphere. The calculated vertical intensity of the O2 band at 1.27 μm is 13 kR, far below the recently reported detections.  相似文献   

11.
There have been several reports of methane on Mars at the 10-60 ppbv level. Most suggest that methane is both seasonally and latitudinally variable. Here we review why variable methane on Mars is physically and chemically implausible, and then we critically review the published reports. There is no known mechanism for destroying methane chemically on Mars. But if there is one, methane oxidation would deplete the O2 in Mars’s atmosphere in less than 10,000 years unless balanced by an equally large unknown source of oxidizing power. Physical sequestration does not raise these questions, but adsorption in the regolith or condensation in clathrates ignore competition for adsorption sites or are inconsistent with clathrate stability, respectively. Furthermore, any mechanism that relies on methane’s van der Waals’ attraction is inconsistent with the continued presence of Xe in the atmosphere at the 60 ppbv level. We then use the HITRAN database and transmission calculations to identify and characterize the absorption lines that would be present on Earth or Mars at the wavelengths of the published observations. These reveal strong competing telluric absorption that is most problematic at just those wavelengths where methane’s signature seems most clearly seen from Earth. The competing telluric lines must be removed with models. The best case for martian methane was made for the 12CH4ν3 R0 and R1 lines seen in blueshift when Mars was approaching Earth in early 2003 (Mumma, M.J., Villanueva, G.L., Novak, R.E., Hewagama, T., Bonev, B.P., DiSanti, M.A., Mandell, A.M., Smith, M.D. [2009]. Science 323, 1041-1045). For these the Doppler shift moves the two martian lines into near coincidence with telluric 13CH4ν3 R1 and R2 lines that are 10-50× stronger than the inferred martian lines. By contrast, the 12CH4ν3 R0 and R1 lines when observed in redshift do not contend with telluric 13CH4. For these lines, Mumma et al.’s observations and analyses are consistent with an upper limit on the order of 3 ppbv.  相似文献   

12.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph we have obtained for the first time spatially resolved 2000-3000 Å spectra of Io's Prometheus plume and adjoining regions on Io's anti-jovian hemisphere in the latitude range 60° N-60° S, using a 0.1″ slit centered on Prometheus and tilted roughly 45° to the spin axis. The SO2 column density peaked at 1.25×1017 cm−2 near the equator, with an additional 5×1016 cm−2 enhancement over Prometheus corresponding to a model volcanic SO2 output of 105 kg s−1. Apart from the Prometheus peak, the SO2 column density dropped fairly smoothly away from the subsolar point, even over regions that included potential volcanic sources. At latitudes less than ±30°, the dropoff rate was consistent with control by vapor pressure equilibrium with surface frost with subsolar temperature 117.3±0.6 K, though SO2 abundance was higher than predicted by vapor pressure control at mid-latitudes, especially in the northern hemisphere. We conclude that, at least at low latitudes on the anti-jovian hemisphere where there are extensive deposits of optically-thick SO2 frost, the atmosphere is probably primarily supported by sublimation of surface frost. Although the 45° tilt of our slit prevents us from separating the dependence of atmospheric density on solar zenith angle from its dependence on latitude, the pattern is consistent with a sublimation atmosphere regardless of which parameter is the dominant control. The observed drop in gas abundance towards higher latitudes is consistent with the interpretation of previous Lyman alpha images of Io as indicating an atmosphere concentrated at low latitudes. Comparison with previous disk-resolved UV spectroscopy, Lyman-alpha images, and mid-infrared spectroscopy suggests that Io's atmosphere is denser and more widespread on the anti-jovian hemisphere than at other longitudes. SO2 gas temperatures were in the range of 150-250 K over the majority of the anti-jovian hemisphere, consistent with previous observations. SO was not definitively detected in our spectra, with upper limits to the SO/SO2 ratio in the range 1-10%, roughly consistent with previous observations. S2 gas was not seen anywhere, with an upper limit of 7.5×1014 cm−2 for the Prometheus plume, confirming that this plume is significantly poorer in S2 than the Pele plume (S2 /SO2<0.005, compared to 0.08-0.3 at Pele). In addition to the gas absorption signatures, we have observed continuum emission in the near ultraviolet (near 2800 Å) for the first time. The brightness of the observed emission was directly correlated with the SO2 abundance, strongly peaking in the equatorial region over Prometheus. Emission brightness was modestly anti-correlated with the jovian magnetic latitude, decreasing when Io intersected the torus centrifugal equator.  相似文献   

13.
High-resolution spectra of Venus and Mars at the NO fundamental band at 5.3 μm with resolving power ν/δν=76,000 were acquired using the TEXES spectrograph at NASA IRTF on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The observed spectrum of Venus covered three NO lines of the P-branch. One of the lines is strongly contaminated, and the other two lines reveal NO in the lower atmosphere at a detection level of 9 sigma. A simple photochemical model for NO and N at 50-112 km was coupled with a radiative transfer code to simulate the observed equivalent widths of the NO and some CO2 lines. The derived NO mixing ratio is 5.5±1.5 ppb below 60 km and its flux is . Predissociation of NO at the (0-0) 191 nm and (1-0) 183 nm bands of the δ-system and the reaction with N are the only important loss processes for NO in the lower atmosphere of Venus. The photochemical impact of the measured NO abundance is significant and should be taken into account in photochemical modeling of the Venus atmosphere. Lightning is the only known source of NO in the lower atmosphere of Venus, and the detection of NO is a convincing and independent proof of lightning on Venus. The required flux of NO is corrected for the production of NO and N by the cosmic ray ionization and corresponds to the lightning energy deposition of . For a flash energy on Venus similar to that on the Earth (∼109 J), the global flashing rate is ∼90 s−1 and ∼6 km−2 y−1 which is in reasonable agreement with the existing optical observations. The observed spectrum of Mars covered three NO lines of the R-branch. Two of these lines are contaminated by CO2 lines, and the line at 1900.076 cm−1 is clean and shows some excess over the continuum. Some photochemical reactions may result in a significant excitation of NO (v=1) in the lowest 20 km on Mars. However, quenching of NO (v=1) by CO2 is very effective below 40 km. Excitation of NO (v=1) in the collisions with atomic oxygen is weak because of the low temperature in the martian atmosphere, and we do not see any explanation of a possible emission of NO at 5.3 μm. Therefore the data are treated as the lack of absorption with a 2 sigma upper limit of 1.7 ppb to the NO abundance in the lower atmosphere of Mars. This limit is above the predictions of photochemical models by a factor of 3.  相似文献   

14.
Prelaunch planetary protection protocols on spacecraft are designed to reduce the numbers and diversity of viable bioloads on surfaces in order to mitigate the forward contamination of planetary surfaces. In addition, there is a growing appreciation that prelaunch spacecraft cleaning protocols will be required to reduce the levels of biogenic signature molecules on spacecraft to levels that will not compromise life-detection experiments on landers. The biogenic molecule, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was tested for long-term stability under simulated Mars surface conditions of high UV flux, low temperature, low pressure, Mars atmosphere, and clear-sky dust loading conditions. Data on UV-induced ATP degradation rates were then extrapolated to a diversity of global conditions using a radiative transfer model for UV on Mars. The UV-induced degradation of ATP tested at 4.1 W m−2 UVC (200-280 nm), −10 °C, 7.1 mb, 95% CO2 gas composition, and an atmospheric opacity of τ=0.1 yielded a half-life for ATP of 1342 kJ m−2; or extrapolated to approximately 22 sols on equatorial Mars with an atmospheric opacity of τ=0.5. Temperature was found to moderately affect ATP degradation rates under martian conditions; tests at −80 or 20 °C yielded ATP half-lives of 2594 or 1183 kJ m−2, respectively. The ATP degradation rates reported here are over 10 orders of magnitude slower than the UV-induced biocidal rates reported in the literature on the inactivation of strongly UV-resistant bacterial spores from Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 [Schuerger, A.C., Richards, J.T., Newcombe, D.A., Venkateswaran, K.J., 2006. Icarus 181, 52-62]. Extrapolating results to global Mars conditions, residence times for a 99% reduction of ATP on spacecraft surfaces ranged from 158 sols on Sun-exposed surfaces to approximately 32,000 sols for the undersides of landers similar to Viking. However, spacecraft materials greatly affected the survival times of ATP under martian conditions. Stainless steel was found to enhance the UV degradation of ATP by over 2 orders of magnitude compared to ATP-doped iridited aluminum, graphite, and astroquartz coupons. Extrapolating these results to global conditions, ATP on stainless steel might be expected to persist between 2 and 320 sols for upper and lower surfaces of landers. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data supported the conclusion that UV irradiation acted to remove the γ-phosphate group from ATP, and no evidence was observed for the UV-degradation of d-ribose or adenine moieties. Long residence times for ATP on spacecraft materials under martian conditions suggest that prelaunch cleaning protocols may need to be strengthened to mitigate against possible ATP contamination of life-detection experiments on Mars landers.  相似文献   

15.
High-resolution infrared imaging spectroscopy of Mars has been achieved at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on June 19-21, 2003, using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES). The areocentric longitude was 206°. Following the detection and mapping of hydrogen peroxide H2O2 [Encrenaz et al., 2004. Icarus 170, 424-429], we have derived, using the same data set, a map of the water vapor abundance. The results appear in good overall agreement with the TES results and with the predictions of the Global Circulation Model (GCM) developed at the Laboratory of Dynamical Meteorology (LMD), with a maximum abundance of water vapor of 3±1.5×10−4(17±9 pr-μm). We have searched for CH4 over the martian disk, but were unable to detect it. Our upper limits are consistent with earlier reports on the methane abundance on Mars. Finally, we have obtained new measurements of CO2 isotopic ratios in Mars. As compared to the terrestrial values, these values are: (18O/17O)[M/E] = 1.03 ± 0.09; (13C/12C)[M/E] = 1.00 ± 0.11. In conclusion, in contrast with the analysis of Krasnopolsky et al. [1996. Icarus 124, 553-568], we conclude that the derived martian isotopic ratios do not show evidence for a departure from their terrestrial values.  相似文献   

16.
Mid- and far-infrared spectra from the Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (CIRS) have been used to determine volume mixing ratios of nitriles in Titan's atmosphere. HCN, HC3N, C2H2, and temperature were derived from 2.5 cm−1 spectral resolution mid-IR mapping sequences taken during three flybys, which provide almost complete global coverage of Titan for latitudes south of 60° N. Three 0.5 cm−1 spectral resolution far-IR observations were used to retrieve C2N2 and act as a check on the mid-IR results for HCN. Contribution functions peak at around 0.5-5 mbar for temperature and 0.1-10 mbar for the chemical species, well into the stratosphere. The retrieved mixing ratios of HCN, HC3N, and C2N2 show a marked increase in abundance towards the north, whereas C2H2 remains relatively constant. Variations with longitude were much smaller and are consistent with high zonal wind speeds. For 90°-20° S the retrieved HCN abundance is fairly constant with a volume mixing ratio of around 1 × 10−7 at 3 mbar. More northerly latitudes indicate a steady increase, reaching around 4 × 10−7 at 60° N, where the data coverage stops. This variation is consistent with previous measurements and suggests subsidence over the northern (winter) pole at approximately 2 × 10−4 m s−1. HC3N displays a very sharp increase towards the north pole, where it has a mixing ratio of around 4 × 10−8 at 60° N at the 0.1-mbar level. The difference in gradient for the HCN and HC3N latitude variations can be explained by HC3N's much shorter photochemical lifetime, which prevents it from mixing with air at lower latitude. It is also consistent with a polar vortex which inhibits mixing of volatile rich air inside the vortex with that at lower latitudes. Only one observation was far enough north to detect significant amounts of C2N2, giving a value of around 9 × 10−10 at 50° N at the 3-mbar level.  相似文献   

17.
The Neutral Particle Detector (NPD), an Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) sensor of the Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) on board Mars Express, detected intense fluxes of ENAs emitted from the subsolar region of Mars. The typical ENA fluxes are (4-7) × 105 cm−2 sr−1 s−1 in the energy range 0.3-3 keV. These ENAs are likely to be generated in the subsolar region of the martian exosphere. As the satellite moved away from Mars, the ENA flux decreased while the field of view of the NPD pointed toward the subsolar region. These decreases occurred very quickly with a time scale of a few tens of seconds in two thirds of the orbits. Such a behavior can be explained by the spacecraft crossing a spatially constrained ENA jet, i.e., a highly directional ENA emission from a compact region of the subsolar exosphere. This ENA jet is highly possible to be emitted conically from the subsolar region. Such directional ENAs can result from the anisotropic solar wind flow around the subsolar region, but this can not be explained in the frame of MHD models.  相似文献   

18.
The vertical profile of H2SO4 vapor is calculated using current atmospheric and thermodynamic data. The atmospheric data include the H2O profiles observed at 70-112 km by the SOIR solar occultations, the SPICAV-UV profiles of the haze extinction at 220 nm, the VeRa temperature profiles, and a typical profile of eddy diffusion. The thermodynamic data are the saturated vapor pressures of H2O and H2SO4 and chemical potentials of these species in sulfuric acid solutions. The calculated concentration of sulfuric acid in the cloud droplets varies from 85% at 70 km to a minimum of 70% at 90 km and then gradually increasing to 90-100% at 110 km. The H2SO4 vapor mixing ratio is ∼10−12 at 70 and 110 km with a deep minimum of 3 × 10−18 at 88 km. The H2O-H2SO4 system matches the local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions up to 87 km. The column photolysis rate of H2SO4 is 1.6 × 105 cm−2 s−1 at 70 km and 23 cm−2 s−1 at 90 km. The calculated abundance of H2SO4 vapor at 90-110 km and its photolysis rate are smaller than those presented in the recent model by Zhang et al. (Zhang, X., Liang, M.C., Montmessin, F., Bertaux, J.L., Parkinson, C., Yung, Y.L. [2010]. Nat. Geosci. 3, 834-837) by factors of 106 and 109, respectively. Assumptions of 100% sulfuric acid, local thermodynamic equilibrium, too warm atmosphere, supersaturation of H2SO4 (impossible for a source of SOX), and cross sections for H2SO4·H2O (impossible above the pure H2SO4) are the main reasons of this huge difference. Significant differences and contradictions between the SPICAV-UV, SOIR, and ground-based submillimeter observations of SOX at 70-110 km are briefly discussed and some weaknesses are outlined. The possible source of high altitude SOX on Venus remains unclear and probably does not exist.  相似文献   

19.
Variations of the upper cloud boundary and the CO, HF, and HCl mixing ratios were observed using the CSHELL spectrograph at NASA IRTF. The observations were made in three sessions (October 2007, January 2009, and June 2009) at early morning and late afternoon on Venus in the latitude range of ±60°. CO2 lines at 2.25 μm reveal variations of the cloud aerosol density (∼25%) and scale height near 65 km. The measured reflectivity of Venus at low latitudes is 0.7 at 2.25 μm and 0.028 at 3.66 μm, and the effective CO2 column density is smaller at 3.66 μm than those at 2.25 μm by a factor of 4. This agrees with the almost conservative multiple scattering at 2.25 μm and single scattering in the almost black aerosol at 3.66 μm. The expected difference is just a factor of (1 − g)−1 = 4, where g = 0.75 is the scattering asymmetry factor for Venus’ clouds. The observed CO mixing ratio is 52 ± 4 ppm near 08:00 and 40 ± 4 ppm near 16:30 at 68 km, and the higher ratio in the morning may be caused by extension of the CO morningside bulge to the cloud tops. The observed weak limb brightening in CO indicates an increase of the CO mixing ratio with altitude. HF is constant at 3.5 ± 0.2 ppb at 68 km in both morningside and afternoon observations and in the latitude range ±60°. Therefore the observations do not favor a bulge of HF, though HF is lighter than CO. Probably a source in the upper atmosphere facilitates the bulge formation. The recent measurements of HCl near 70 km are controversial (0.1 and 0.74 ppm) and require either a strong sink or a strong source of HCl in the clouds. The HCl lines of the (2-0) band are blended by the solar and telluric lines. Therefore we observed the P8 lines of the (1-0) band at 3.44 μm. These lines are spectrally clean and result in the HCl mixing ratio of 0.40 ± 0.03 ppm at 74 km. HCl does not vary with latitude within ±60°. Our observations support a uniformly mixed HCl throughout the Venus atmosphere.  相似文献   

20.
Stephen D. Eckermann  Jun Ma 《Icarus》2011,211(1):429-442
Using a Curtis-matrix model of 15 μm CO2 radiative cooling rates for the martian atmosphere, we have computed vertical scale-dependent IR radiative damping rates from 0 to 200 km altitude over a broad band of vertical wavenumbers ∣m∣ = 2π(1-500 km)−1 for representative meteorological conditions at 40°N and average levels of solar activity and dust loading. In the middle atmosphere, infrared (IR) radiative damping rates increase with decreasing vertical scale and peak in excess of 30 days−1 at ∼50-80 km altitude, before gradually transitioning to scale-independent rates above ∼100 km due to breakdown of local thermodynamic equilibrium. We incorporate these computed IR radiative damping rates into a linear anelastic gravity-wave model to assess the impact of IR radiative damping, relative to wave breaking and molecular viscosity, in the dissipation of gravity-wave momentum flux. The model results indicate that IR radiative damping is the dominant process in dissipating gravity-wave momentum fluxes at ∼0-50 km altitude, and is the dominant process at all altitudes for gravity waves with vertical wavelengths ?10-15 km. Wave breaking becomes dominant at higher altitudes only for “fast” waves of short horizontal and long vertical wavelengths. Molecular viscosity plays a negligible role in overall momentum flux deposition. Our results provide compelling evidence that IR radiative damping is a major, and often dominant physical process controlling the dissipation of gravity-wave momentum fluxes on Mars, and therefore should be incorporated into future parameterizations of gravity-wave drag within Mars GCMs. Lookup tables for doing so, based on the current computations, are provided.  相似文献   

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