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Science 6 July 1979:
Vol. 205. no. 4401, pp. 52 - 54
DOI: 10.1126/science.205.4401.52
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Articles

Laboratory Corroboration of the Pioneer Venus Gas Chromatograph Analyses

V. I. OYAMA 1, G. C. CARLE 1, F. WOELLER 1, and J. B. POLLACK 1

1 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035

Laboratory simulation and tests of the inlet sampling system and columns of the Pioneer Venus gas chromatograph show that the sensitivity to argon is not diminished after the column regeneration step, argon isotopes are not separated, oxygen and sulfur dioxide are not produced in the inlet sampling system from sulfur trioxide, and sulfur trioxide is not formed from sulfur dioxide and oxygen. Comparisons of the volatile inventory of Venus and Earth imply similar efficiencies of early outgassing but a lower efficiency for later outgassing in the case of Venus. The high oxidation state of the Venus atmosphere in the region of cloud formation may prohibit the generation of elemental sulfur particles.

Submitted on May 15, 1979


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Corrections in the Pioneer Venus Sounder Probe Gas Chromatographic Analysis of the Lower Venus Atmosphere.
V. I. Oyama, V. I. OYAMA, G. C. CARLE, and F. WOELLER (1980)
Science 208, 399-401
   Abstract »    PDF »
Implications of the Gas Compositional Measurements of Pioneer Venus for the Origin of Planetary Atmospheres.
J. B. POLLACK and D. C. BLACK (1979)
Science 205, 56-59
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)