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Atmosphere of Mars

About: Atmosphere of Mars is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 4051 publications have been published within this topic receiving 116733 citations. The topic is also known as: Martian atmosphere & Mars's atmosphere.


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11 Jan 1996
TL;DR: In this paper, the amount of water outgassed from Mars by impact erosion and hydrodynamic escape is estimated to be between 6 to 160 m. The two sets of estimates may be reconciled if early in its history, Mars lost part of its atmosphere.
Abstract: Estimates of the amount of water outgassed from Mars, based on the composition of the atmosphere, range from 6 to 160 m, as compared with 3 km for the Earth. In contrast, large flood features, valley networks, and several indicators of ground ice suggest that at least 500 m of water have outgassed. The two sets of estimates may be reconciled if early in its history, Mars lost part of its atmosphere by impact erosion and hydrodynamic escape.

885 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of the hydrologic response of a water-rich Mars to climate change and to the physical and thermal evolution of its crust is carried out, with particular attention given to the potential role of the subsurface transport, assuming that the current models of insolation-driven change describe reasonably the atmospheric leg of the planet's long-term hydrological cycle.
Abstract: An analysis is carried out of the hydrologic response of a water-rich Mars to climate change and to the physical and thermal evolution of its crust, with particular attention given to the potential role of the subsurface transport, assuming that the current models of insolation-driven change describe reasonably the atmospheric leg of the planet's long-term hydrologic cycle. Among the items considered are the thermal and hydrologic properties of the crust, the potential distribution of ground ice and ground water, the stability and replenishment of equatorial ground ice, basal melting and the polar mass balance, the thermal evolution of the early cryosphere, the recharge of the valley networks and outflow, and several processes that are likely to drive the large-scale vertical and horizontal transport of H2O within the crust. The results lead to the conclusion that subsurface transport has likely played an important role in the geomorphic evolution of the Martian surface and the long-term cycling of H2O between the atmosphere, polar caps, and near-surface crust.

731 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
03 Dec 2004-Science
TL;DR: A detection of methane in the martian atmosphere by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer onboard the Mars Express spacecraft is reported, and the global average methane mixing ratio is found to be 10 ± 5 parts per billion by volume.
Abstract: We report a detection of methane in the martian atmosphere by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer onboard the Mars Express spacecraft. The global average methane mixing ratio is found to be 10 ± 5 parts per billion by volume (ppbv). However, the mixing ratio varies between 0 and 30 ppbv over the planet. The source of methane could be either biogenic or nonbiogenic, including past or present subsurface microorganisms, hydrothermal activity, or cometary impacts.

713 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The behavior of Mars as observed by the Viking infrared thermal mapper (IRTM) is considered in this article, where the IRTM is a 28-channel, 4-telescope radiometer that operated in six spectral bands.
Abstract: The behavior of Mars as observed by the Viking infrared thermal mapper (IRTM) is considered. The IRTM is a 28-channel, 4-telescope radiometer that operated in six spectral bands. The studies considered include observations from the interplanetary phase through data collection on November 7, 1976. During this interval, thermal mapping of the whole Martian surface has been possible. Attention is given to polar temperatures, global albedos, predawn temperatures, a thermal inertia contour map, geometry considerations, clouds, aspects of predawn warming, and observations of earth.

691 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
15 Aug 1991-Nature
TL;DR: The formation of valley networks early in Mars' history is evidence for a long-term hydrological cycle, which may have been associated with the existence of a persistent ocean as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: A variety of anomalous geomorphological features on Mars can be explained by a conceptual scheme involving episodic ocean and ice-sheet formation. The formation of valley networks early in Mars' history is evidence for a long-term hydrological cycle, which may have been associated with the existence of a persistent ocean. Cataclysmic flooding, triggered by extensive Tharsis volcanism, subsequently led to repeated ocean formation and then dissipation on the northern plains, and associated glaciation in the southern highlands until relatively late in Martian history.

636 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
2023147
2022244
202196
2020104
2019118
2018110