Constraining Oxygen and Sulfur Fugacity in Venus Weathering Experiments in the Glenn Extreme Environment Rig

Experimental efforts to understand chemical weathering of Venus surface rocks and minerals have been undertaken using a range of methods and conditions. A challenge with many of these experiments is measuring and maintaining the gas composition at the desired values because of the lack of instruments and sensors that can monitor gas compositions within vessels at Venus conditions. Thus, the oxygen fugacity, fO2, and sulfur fugacity, fS2, for Venus experiments are often not well known or constrained. Oxygen and sulfur fugacities dictate the stability of many minerals such as iron oxides and sulfides, and thus play a crucial role in weathering reactions.