Journal article
Loss of the Martian atmosphere to space: Present-day loss rates determined from MAVEN observations and integrated loss through time
Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962), Vol.315, pp.146-157
2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2018.05.030
Abstract
Observations of the Mars upper atmosphere made from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft have been used to determine the loss rates of gas from the upper atmosphere to space for a complete Mars year (16 Nov 2014 – 3 Oct 2016). Loss rates for H and O are sufficient to remove ∼2-3 kg/s to space. By itself, this loss would be significant over the history of the planet. In addition, loss rates would have been greater early in history due to the enhanced solar EUV and more-active Sun. Integrated loss, based on current processes whose escape rates in the past are adjusted according to expected solar evolution, would have been as much as 0.8 bar CO2 or 23 m global equivalent layer of H2O; these losses are likely to be lower limits due to the nature of the extrapolation of loss rates to the earliest times. Combined with the lack of surface or subsurface reservoirs for CO2 that could hold remnants of an early, thick atmosphere, these results suggest that loss of gas to space has been the dominant process responsible for changing the climate of Mars from an early, warmer environment to the cold, dry one that we see today.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Loss of the Martian atmosphere to space: Present-day loss rates determined from MAVEN observations and integrated loss through time
- Creators
- Bruce Jakosky - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsJasper Halekas - Department of Physics and Astronomy [Iowa City]David Brain - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsZachary Girazian - Goddard Space Flight CenterMichael Chaffin - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsS Houston - University of KansasC Lee - Goddard Space Flight CenterShannon M Curry - University of California, BerkeleyJustin Deighan - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsJoseph Grebowsky - Goddard Space Flight CenterFrançois Leblanc - Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST)Robert Lillis - University of California, BerkeleyJanet Luhmann - University of California, BerkeleyLaila Andersson - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsNicolas André - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologieDavid Andrews - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsDarren Baird - Johnson Space CenterDaniel Baker - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsDolon Bhattacharyya - Boston UniversityJared Bell - National Institute of AerospaceStephen Bougher - Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringMehdi Benna - Goddard Space Flight CenterCharlie Bowers - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsPhillip Chamberlin - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsJean-Yves ChaufrayJohn Clarke - Boston UniversityGlyn Collinson - Goddard Space Flight CenterMichael Combi - Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences [Ann Arbor]Jack Connerney - Goddard Space Flight CenterKyle Connour - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsJ Correira - Communications and Power IndustriesKyle Crabb - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsFrank Crary - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsThomas Cravens - Department of Physics and Astronomy [Lawrence Kansas]Matteo Crismani - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsGreg Delory - University of California, BerkeleyRyan Dewey - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsGina DiBraccio - Goddard Space Flight CenterChuanfei Dong - Princeton UniversityYaxue Dong - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsPatrick Dunn - University of California, BerkeleyHilary Egan - University of Colorado BoulderMeredith K Elrod - Goddard Space Flight CenterScott England - Space Sciences LaboratoryFrank Eparvier - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsRobert Ergun - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsAnders Eriksson - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsTeresa Esman - University of ArizonaJared Espley - Goddard Space Flight CenterS Evans - Communications and Power IndustriesKathryn Fallows - Boston UniversityXiaohua Fang - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsMatthew Fillingim - University of California, BerkeleyC Flynn - Boston UniversityA Fogle - University of California, BerkeleyChristopher M Fowler - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsJane L Fox - Wright State UniversityMasaki Fujimoto - Institute of Space and Astronautical SciencePhilippe Garnier - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologieHannes Groeller - University of ArizonaO Hamil - Department of Physics and Astronomy [Lawrence Kansas]Jacob Gruesbeck - Goddard Space Flight CenterK Hanley - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsTakuya Hara - University of California, BerkeleyYuki Harada - Department of Physics and Astronomy [Ames, Iowa]Jacob Hermann - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsMika Holmberg - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologieGreg Holsclaw - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsS Inui - The University of TokyoSonal Jain - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsRebecca Jolitz - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsAnna Kotova - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologieTakeshi Kuroda - Tohoku UniversityDavin Larson - University of California, BerkeleyYuni Lee - University of California, BerkeleyFranck Lefèvre - Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST)Christy Lentz - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsD Lo - University of ArizonaRafael Lugo - Analytical Mechanics Associates (United States)Yingjuan Ma - University of California, Los AngelesPaul R Mahaffy - Goddard Space Flight CenterMelissa Marquette - University of California, BerkeleyY Matsumoto - The University of TokyoMajd Mayyasi - Boston UniversityChristian Mazelle - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologieWilliam Mcclintock - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsJim McFadden - University of California, BerkeleyA Medvedev - Max Planck SocietyMichael Mendillo - Boston UniversityK Meziane - University of New BrunswickZachariah Milby - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsD Mitchell - University of California, BerkeleyRonan Modolo - Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST)Franck Montmessin - Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST)Andrew Nagy - Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences [Ann Arbor]H Nakagawa - Tohoku UniversityClara Narvaez - Boston UniversityKirk Olsen - Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringD Pawlowski - Eastern Michigan UniversityWilliam Peterson - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962), Vol.315, pp.146-157
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.icarus.2018.05.030
- ISSN
- 0019-1035
- eISSN
- 1090-2643
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2018
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199669702771
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