Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published June 29, 1978 | public
Journal Article

Primitive atmosphere and implications for the formation of channels on Mars

Abstract

The channels on Mars suggest that a flowing fluid has been present on the surface of the planet. It seems natural to assume that this fluid was water. The major difficulty, however, is that water freezes in climatic conditions like those now on Mars. It has been suggested that primitive Mars had a reducing atmosphere, composed mainly of methane. Such an atmosphere, as we show here, could be polymerised by solar ultraviolet radiation to produce higher hydrocarbons. These compounds are low viscosity liquids at today's temperature on Mars, and could contribute to the formation of channels.

Additional Information

© 1978 Macmillan Journals Ltd. Received 6 February; accepted 3 May 1978. Y.L.Y. thanks Professor M. B. McElroy for valuable insights on atmospheric evolution, hydrogen escape and isotopic ratio and J.B. Pollack and O. B. Toon for discussion of present and past climates on Mars. This research was supported by Ames Research Center under NASA contract NSG-2283. J.P.P. acknowledges support by NASA grant NSG-5163 to Columbia.

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 17, 2023