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Science 17 December 1976:
Vol. 194. no. 4271, pp. 1298 - 1300
DOI: 10.1126/science.194.4271.1298
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Articles

Structure of the Neutral Upper Atmosphere of Mars: Results from Viking 1 and Viking 2

A. O. NIER 1 and M. B. MCELROY 2

1 School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
2 Center for Earth and Planetary Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Neutral mass spectrometers carried on the aeroshells of Viking 1 and Viking 2 indicate that carbon dioxide is the major constituent of the martian atmosphere over the height range 120 to 200 kilometers. The atmosphere contains detectable concentrations of nitrogen, argon, carbon monoxide, molecular oxygen, atomic oxygen, and nitric oxide. The upper atmosphere exhibits a complex and variable thermal structure and is well mixed to heights in excess of 120 kilometers.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Scientific Results of the Viking Missions.
G. A. Soffen and G. A. SOFFEN (1976)
Science 194, 1274-1276
   Abstract »    PDF »
Composition and Structure of the Martian Upper Atmosphere: Analysis of Results from Viking.
M. B. McElroy, M. B. MCELROY, T. Y. KONG, Y. L. YUNG, and A. O. NIER (1976)
Science 194, 1295-1298
   Abstract »    PDF »


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