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Volatile inventory of Mars-2: Primordial sources and fractionating processesThe total volatile inventory of Mars has been modeled using meteoritic and presumed primordial abundances in the early solar system. Evidence is presented which indicates that the elemental abundances of the noble gases on Earth and Mars are similar, and their ratios are comparable to those in average carbonaceous chondrites with the exception of xenon and krypton. In order to account for presently observed variations in gas abundances, two primordial sources were used. One was the solar composition similar to the solar wind, and the other of carbonaceous grains that were the source for trace exotic components. For Mars, a model in which the early, high solar EUV flux with continued hydrogen production by differentiation results in mass fractionation of the primordial atmosphere, early depletion of xenon, and later depletion of gases lighter than krypton. The result is that the primordial Mars water inventory may have been on the order of 20 to 30 km if spread over the planet.
Document ID
19890001443
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Pepin, R. O. (Minnesota Univ. Minneapolis, MN, United States)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Inst., MECA Symposium on Mars: Evolution of its Climate and Atmosphere
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
89N10814
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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