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Was early Mars warmed by ammonia?Runoff channels and valley networks present on ancient, heavily cratered Martian terrain suggests that the climate of Mars was originally warm and wet. One explanation for the formation of these channels is that the surface was warmed by the greenhouse effect of a dense, CO2 atmosphere. However, recent work shows that this theory is not consistent for the early period of the solar system. One way to increase the surface temperature predicted is to assume that other greenhouse gases were present in Mars' atmosphere in addition to CO2 and H2O. This possible gas is ammonia, NH3. If ammonia was present in sufficient quantities, it could have raised the surface temperature to 273 K. An adequate source would have been volcanic outgassing if the NH3 produced was shielded from photolysis by an ultraviolet light absorber.
Document ID
19920019787
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kasting, J. F.
(Pennsylvania State Univ. University Park., United States)
Brown, L. L.
(Pennsylvania State Univ. University Park., United States)
Acord, J. M.
(Pennsylvania State Univ. University Park., United States)
Pollack, J. B.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Inst., Workshop on the Martian Surface and Atmosphere Through Time
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
92N29030
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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