Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 28 January 1972:
Vol. 175. no. 4020, pp. 443 - 445
DOI: 10.1126/science.175.4020.443
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Mars: An Evolving Atmosphere

Michael B. McElroy 1

1 Center for Earth and Planetary Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Photochemical reactions in the martian exosphere produce fast atoms of oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen and provide large escape fluxes of these elements. They appear to play a crucial role in the evolution of the martian atmosphere. The relative outgassing rates of H2O and CO2 on Mars are comparable with terrestrial values, although absolute rates for Mars are lower by a factor of 103. Nitrogen is a trace constituent, less than 1 percent, of the present martian atmosphere.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Mechanism for the Green Glow of the Upper Ionosphere.
S. L. Guberman (1997)
Science 278, 1276-1278
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Deuterium on Mars: The Abundance of HDO and the Value of D/H.
T. Owen, T. Owen, J. P. Maillard, C. de Bergh, and B. L. Lutz (1988)
Science 240, 1767
   Abstract »    PDF »
Escape of Hydrogen from Venus.
M. B. McElroy, M. B. MCELROY, M. J. PRATHER, and J. M. RODRIGUEZ (1982)
Science 215, 1614-1615
   Abstract »    PDF »
Atomic Hydrogen on Mars: Measurements at Solar Minimum.
J. S. LEVINE, D. S. MCDOUGAL, D. E. ANDERSON JR., and E. S. BARKER (1978)
Science 200, 1048-1051
   Abstract »    PDF »
Mars and Earth: Origin and Abundance of Volatiles.
E. Anders, E. Anders, and T. Owen (1977)
Science 198, 453-465
   Abstract »    PDF »
Structure of the Neutral Upper Atmosphere of Mars: Results from Viking 1 and Viking 2.
A. O. Nier, A. O. NIER, and M. B. MCELROY (1976)
Science 194, 1298-1300
   Abstract »    PDF »
Isotopic Composition of the Martian Atmosphere.
A. O. Nier, M. B. MCELROY, and Y. L. YUNG (1976)
Science 194, 68-70
   Abstract »    PDF »
Isotopic Composition of Nitrogen: Implications for the Past History of Mars' Atmosphere.
M. B. McElroy, M. B. MCELROY, Y. L. YUNG, and A. O. NIER (1976)
Science 194, 70-72
   Abstract »    PDF »
Composition and Structure of the Martian Atmosphere: Preliminary Results from Viking 1.
A. O. Nier, A. O. NIER, W. B. HANSON, A. SEIFF, M. B. McELROY, N. W. SPENCER, R. J. DUCKETT, T. C. D. KNIGHT, and W. S. COOK (1976)
Science 193, 786-788
   Abstract »    PDF »
Composition of the Atmosphere at the Surface of Mars: Detection of Argon-36 and Preliminary Analysis.
T. Owen, T. OWEN, and K. BIEMANN (1976)
Science 193, 801-803
   Abstract »    PDF »
Surface Oxidation: A Major Sink for Water on Mars.
R. L. Huguenin and R. L. HUGUENIN (1976)
Science 192, 138-139
   Abstract »    PDF »
Preliminary Results on the Atmospheres of Io and Jupiter from the Pioneer 10 S-Band Occultation Experiment.
A. Kliore, A. Kliore, D. L. Cain, G. Fjeldbo, B. L. Seidel, and S. I. Rasool (1974)
Science 183, 323-324
   Abstract »    PDF »
Polar Volatiles on Mars--Theory versus Observation: Excess solid carbon dioxide is probably present in the north residual cap.
B. C. Murray, B. C. Murray, and M. C. Malin (1973)
Science 182, 437-443
   Abstract »    PDF »
Stability of the Martian Atmosphere.
M. B. McElroy, M. B. McElroy, and T. M. Donahue (1972)
Science 177, 986-988
   Abstract »    PDF »
Detection of Molecular Oxygen on Mars.
N. P. Carleton, N. P. Carleton, and W. A. Traub (1972)
Science 177, 988-992
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

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