Influence of Suprathermal Atoms on the Escape and Evolution of Mars' CO2 Atmosphere
- Author(s)
- Herbert I M Lichtenegger, Ute Amerstorfer, H. Gröller, Colin Johnstone, Lin Tu
- Abstract
Suprathermal oxygen and carbon atoms are produced by photochemical processes in the upper atmosphere of Mars. Due to their relatively high energies, these particle form an extended corona around Mars and can be picked up by the solar wind and emoved from the planet. The influence of an increased EUV flux, as it prevailed in the past, on the formation of the corona is studied and the corresponding loss rates are estimated. It is shown that the atmospheric loss due to the various processes varies with time and that most of the initial CO2 atmosphere is removed within the first few hundred million years after the formation of the planet. These results are important in order to better understand the atmosphere evolution of terrestrial planets.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Astrophysics
- External organisation(s)
- University of Arizona, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW)
- Publication date
- 09-2017
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/5c1c1212-bd6d-45fc-9837-ba8a514aab87